A Day Off School by Jeffers, Oliver

A hilarious picture book from the mind of #1 New York Times bestselling creator Oliver Jeffers, about what incredible things you might miss if you take the day off school . . .

A whole day off school! ALL TO HIMSELF!!

When Herbie has the sniffles, he stays home from school. It's exciting to have time to play Space Blasters and watch cartoons. But by lunchtime, he wonders what fun he might be missing at school. What if there's an extra playtime, a dog on the loose . . . or even A PIRATE INVASION?

A hilarious, action-packed story from globally bestselling picture book creator Oliver Jeffers and award-winning illustrator Kevin Waldron.

Author: Oliver Jeffers
Publisher: Philomel Books
Published: 07/07/2026
Pages: 40
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.00lbs
Size: 11.10h x 9.60w x 0.40d
ISBN: 9798217039999
Audience: Ages 4-8

Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 05/15/2026
Publishers Weekly 04/27/2026
School Library Journal 06/01/2026 pg. 57

About the Author
Oliver Jeffers is a visual artist and author working in painting, bookmaking, illustration, collage, performance, and sculpture. His engagements and practice are truly international in scope. His critically acclaimed picture books have been the recipients of numerous awards, including a New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books Award, TIME Best Book of the Year, the Bologna Ragazzi Award, an Irish Book Award, a United Kingdom Literary Association Award, and two Emmy Awards for the Apple TV adaptation of Here We Are: Notes For Living on Planet Earth. He has exhibited at institutions such as the Brooklyn Museum in New York, the National Portrait Gallery in London, and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. Jeffers's work is currently featured in the new long-term exhibition Building Stories at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC. He also recently received a Member of the Order of the British Empire Award (MBE) for his services in art.

Kevin Waldron was born and raised in Dublin. After graduating with a degree in Graphic Design from D. I. T., he moved to London to study for an MA in Illustration at Kingston University. His first book, Mr. Peek and the Misunderstanding at the Zoo (Templar Publishing) won the Bologna Ragazzi Opera Prima Award in 2009. He illustrated Tiny Little Fly (Walker Books), written by Michael Rosen, which won the Bull-Bransom Award for Excellence in Children's Illustration in 2011. The same year, he was also named a BookTrust Best New Illustrator. Kevin has now made New York his home, where he makes picture books from his Brooklyn studio.