Waiting

Reviewed by: Sally Holt - Raymond Village Library, Raymond, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: October 21, 2015

Review

On a windowsill sit five animals, an owl, puppy, bear, rabbit and a pig and each has his/her own marvelous thing that he/she would like to see happen. The rabbit is simply looking out of the window, not waiting for anything in particular...just waiting. All the animals are close and though each leaves the sill occasionally, though whoever it is always returns. Sometimes other little knick-knacks appear and disappear or sometimes even break. Yet, they all sit in companionable quiet through it all including the seasonal changes.

Until a cat with patches appears but does not seem to be waiting for anything in particular until one day she is not just one cat she becomes five, now there are ten animals on the sill, "waiting to see what would happen next."

Kevin Henkes has won many honors, including a Caldecott Medal, Caldecott Honors, two Newbery Honors and a Geisel Honor. He has long been lauded as an excellent writer and illustrator. Bright and colorful children's books are eye-catching but this book is soft and muted and just as appealing done in brown ink, watercolor paint and colored pencils. The lettering is large, clean and bold looking against the soft cream pages.

It is ok to be quiet and keeping good company with one other for a long time, open to differences and acceptance of change. Charming and a must purchase. In fact, I would recommend purchasing all of Henke's titles.

Cream of the Crop

Overall Book Score: excellent