"I have dreamed about playing in the river.
And tomorrow I am going to see it for myself.
But when we finally arrive in Mommy's hometown,
it doesn't look the way I had imagined.
Mommy says over the years her village has grown
into a big city. The new replaced the old."
Mommy has always shared stories from her past with her young son. She talked about river play, the mountains, and the endless clouds. When they visit his Mommy's hometown, he is very excited. Their arrival brings a surprise; it looks nothing like the place she has described so lovingly.
As they walk down the streets past mostly new buildings, they take note of those that have managed to remain standing through the years. When Grandma comes out to welcome them, Mommy suggests that she never changes. Soon, it's time to go to the river, her favorite place when she was growing up. Although the surroundings have changed, the river remains the same.
Mommy and our narrator wade in. They do all the things that Mommy once did. As they prepare for their return to Grandma's, the two note that others have now come to the river at the end of their days to find solace there, as Mommy once did. With memories intact, they return 'home' to Grandma.
Jaime Kim places readers solidly in the setting that is now Mommy's childhood home. Though many things have changed, the memories bring them back to the way it was and to the joy found in childhood adventure. Full-color backgrounds are appealing and feel just right for this story of family and connection.
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