I Talk Like A River, written by Jordan Scott and illustrated by Sydney Smith. Neal Porter Books, Holiday House. Penguin Random House, 2020. $24.99 ages 5 and p

"My dad takes me to the river.

We walk along the shore
looking for colorful rocks
and water bugs.

It feels good to be quiet
and alone with my dad.

But I can't stop thinking
about my bad speech day: "

As this autobiographical tale begins, the pain and fear the young child feels are palpable. He knows the words of objects that are part of his surroundings; he can't say them. Every single one of them sticks in his mouth and gets tangled up. It causes him to remain quiet as he wakens, starts his day with teeth brushing and breakfast oatmeal. He doesn't need words to start his day.

That all changes when he gets to school. There, he tries to avoid questions presented to him, and the staring eyes and strident voices that remind him he sounds different.

"My mouth isn't working.
It's full with words
of the morning."

When he is reminded that it is his turn to talk about his favorite place, he freezes. He can't do it; he wants to go home. Soon, his father is there with understanding and just the thing he needs to make the day better. They go to the river. As they walk, his father provides the support and gentle words that soothe his soul and allow him to see himself in a different light. It is all he needs.

Sydney Smith provides stunning spreads that begin in the moody light of sadness and worry. When he and his dad visit the river, readers are made aware of the sense of peace that comes when his dad explains that the boy 'talks like the river'; it is a good thing. Light changes with the boy's mood, and the open gatefold at the center shimmers with the beauty of the river itself. His artwork is as expressive as the writing.

Jordan Scott is uniquely equipped to provide a close look at the boy's difficulties with his speaking voice, as he also stutters. Just as the father in the story does, Jordan's dad helped him see that nature does some stuttering of its own. In his debut book for children he has written an admirable book sure to garner attention and awards - deservedly so. This is a stunning picture book.

Peter Reynolds might call it 'wisdom dipped in words and art'. I would absolutely agree.