From the Publisher
This tender story, narrated in the voice of a mother addressing her child, pulls at the heartstrings. This book will resonate with any mom who knows the heartache of having to say goodbye to their child or who has faced the teary-eyed frustration of a youngster experiencing separation anxiety. Young readers, on the other hand, will find solace in the reassuring narrative.” –Kirkus Reviews
“A heartwarming read-aloud from mother to child.” –School Library Journal
School Library Journal
05/27/2022
PreS-Gr 2—A chronicle of one week in the life of a busy family, with a focus on the mother and her one son. Mom works as a construction foreperson and dad works as a nurse. Their son is in early elementary school. Narrated by the mother, the story focuses on her words of comfort to her son by saying that she is always with him, even when she is away with her irregular work schedule. She encourages him to look for "traces of magic" that are symbols of her presence. This magic is represented in the illustrations by a note she leaves for him in his lunch. Rowland (of "Destiny's Child") and McKay, a teacher, have composed an earnest text that is far longer than many books for this age group. Both the vocabulary and sentence structure are advanced. Each day has a repeated refrain of almost ten lines, including the title phrase. Richly illustrated pages show Liem's digital artwork to have a pleasing sketchbook quality, with lines and coloring as if made by colored pencils. The family is Black, and the mother wears her natural hair in a variety of styles throughout the week. Famous Black figures are included in the backgrounds: Serena Williams, Mae Jemison, and Barack Obama. The final illustration is particularly striking, a composition that brings together all the visual symbols of the book into one lovely image. VERDICT Despite its lengthiness, this book is a heartwarming read-aloud from mother to child. Purchase where reassuring family stories are needed.—Chance Lee Joyner
Kirkus Reviews
2022-02-09
Grammy-winning, multiplatinum singer/songwriter Rowland teams up with California teacher McKay to celebrate busy moms.
This picture book highlights a mother’s frequent longing to be with her child when life’s demands pull them apart. The story takes us through a busy Black mom’s week: She goes to work (at a construction site where she appears to be an engineer), works from home on her son’s sick day, takes him to a museum, and shares domestic duties with her Black male partner, who is a nurse. She encounters many bumps in the road that will be familiar to working parents. Each day, she gently reassures her son with a lyrical refrain: “Always with you, / Always with me, / Mommy and child / Together we’ll be.” This tender story, narrated in the voice of a mother addressing her child, pulls at the heartstrings. Liem’s digital artwork uses a warm palette and has a calming quality. The characters’ body language and heartfelt facial expressions are spot-on. This book will resonate with any mom who knows the heartache of having to say goodbye to their child or who has faced the teary-eyed frustration of a youngster experiencing separation anxiety. Young readers, on the other hand, will find solace in the reassuring narrative. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An honest look at motherhood in the contemporary era and a sweet tribute to the bond between mother and child. (Picture book. 5-7)
