Chores.
Long day.
Bills.
Dinner.
So tired."
A robin sings a good morning song.
The coffee percolates.
A cat stretches lazily in warm sunshine.
Turn to the title page and readers see the parallel scenes of morning preparation for a young girl and her mother. Both are considering their countenance in front of the bathroom mirror. Both look somewhat frazzled. Another turn of the page and the two face each other across the breakfast table; the child is eating cereal with a banana and drinking juice while reading the cereal box, and the mother reading the paper while downing her first cup of coffee. It is the start of a day that begins with some anxiety.
In side-by-side stories we see what makes each nervous. The girl is trying out for a baseball team. The mother is facing an interview about a new masonry project. As their day passes, the audience observes each moment. Ultimately, it results in good news for both. After a quiet evening, the child goes to bed to sleep and dream. Mom is so exhausted by her many responsibilities that she falls asleep with chores left undone. The following day brings hard work, success and a satisfying shared treat.
Wonderfully meaningful and spare text is complemented by glowing watercolor and pastel artwork.
Seeing the story told in tandem with perfectly matched images is a treat to both ear and eye. I can't wait to read it to my granddaughters when I see them next.
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