Published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons for Young Readers

Summary:  Milo and his older sister are riding on the subway: “These monthly Sunday subway rides are never ending, and as usual, Milo is a shook-up soda.”  To pass the time, he observes the people around him: a whiskered man, a bride in a wedding dress, a boy in a suit.  What happens to them when they get off the subway? He draws pictures of what he imagines.  For Milo and his sister, the destination is a prison, and the boy in the suit is in the line with them to go through the metal detector.  This is so different from what Milo imagined that he starts thinking of different scenarios for all the people he drew.  “Maybe you can’t really know anyone just by looking at their face.”  Inside, Milo hugs his mother and shows her a special picture he made: him, Mom, and his sister sitting on the front steps of their home eating ice cream.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Another home run hit by the award-winning team that brought us Last Stop on Market Street and Carmela Full of Wishes.  I loved Milo’s drawings, especially when he reimagined what happened to the people.  The lesson–you can’t tell who people are from looking at them–is delivered with subtlety and grace.  Readers may be surprised by the ending, which reinforces the message of not judging people by appearances or circumstances.

Cons:  This team has hit on a winning formula: family members on a journey together that culminates with an unexpected ending.  Because they do it so well, it’s not exactly a “con”, but it will be interesting to see if they can move beyond this storyline to create something different in future books.

Published by Chronicle Books

Summary:  Inspired by rainbows her children hung in their windows at the beginning of the pandemic, the author starts with the statement that every story has a beginning and an end.  The illustration shows two kids drawing a rainbow on the sidewalk, also with a beginning and an end.  She then goes on to show what’s on the other side of things: on the other side of a screen is a school; on the other side of a window is a neighbor; on the other side of sadness there are hugs.  And on the other side of today is tomorrow, a tomorrow pictured here as unmasked children and their parents heading toward an open school.  Includes an author’s note.  52 pages; ages 3-8.

Pros:  As we keep our fingers crossed that we’re heading for the other side of the pandemic, this book really captures the emotions and experiences we’ve shared in the past year, both through the brief text and the rainbow-themed illustrations, which, I might add, are the first I’ve ever seen done by a moonlighting orthodontist.

Cons:  This book seems like it will feel dated in a short period of time.  Let’s hope so.

Published by Roaring Brook Press

Summary:  “I dream with Popo” begins a girl living in Taiwan, who loves spending time with her grandmother.  Each page starts similarly: “I walk with Popo”, “I bow with Popo on New Year’s Day.”  After her family moves to San Diego, with Popo staying in Taiwan, she writes “I wave to Popo” as she boards the plane, then “I hug Popo” when she returns for a visit, discovering that it is harder for her to understand Popo’s language now that she is fluent in English.  Then it is “I pray for Popo” when Popo gets sick and finally, “I dream of Popo” as the girl dreams of being with Popo once again.  Includes notes and photos from both the author and illustrator describing their connections to Taiwan and a glossary.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A beautiful story (by Livia Blackburne, who apparently is a best-selling YA fantasy author) about immigration and how relationships with loved ones change after a move.  The author’s and illustrator’s notes personalize the experiences of the girl in the story.

Cons:  Kids may need some help understanding the somewhat ambiguous ending.