I'll Be There
In the companion to Stott and Phelan�s Always (2008), a red-headed boy and his mother test the tension between independence and connection in a gentle, uplifting ode to the parent-child bond. During a walk with his mother, the boy sprints ahead and climbs onto a low rock wall. As he balances, he asks his mother about his babyhood, and she responds reassuringly. She fed him and bathed him and dressed him and loved him. At the book�s center, the boy assumes the narrative, telling his mother all of the same things he can now do on his own, for himself and for her. Images of the walk are interspersed with snapshots of the scenes that both characters describe, and Phelan�s warm, sketchy watercolors in a restrained palette of blues, greens, and grays with orange accents reinforce the sweet sentiment. While the touching story, with its simple text and accessible images, is easily suitable for story hour, this will doubtless be a favorite for sharing at home, as well. Preschool-Grade 2. --Thom Barthelmess