See You Soon

In this bittersweet picture book by Kaba (Missing Daddy), a light brown–skinned six-year-old nicknamed Queenie experiences being separated from a parent due to substance dependence and incarceration. Though narrator Queenie lives with Mama and Grandma Louise, both portrayed with brown skin, “My Mama, she’s been sick since I was very small./ Sometimes she goes away when she isn’t feeling well at all.” When Mama isn’t sick, though, Queenie notes, “we are two peas in a pod,” visiting neighborhood spots and enjoying ice cream sundaes. After Mama receives a sentence of two years at the county jail, Queenie and Grandma Louise accompany her there on the subway. Kaba effectively centers Queenie’s emotions, concerns, and questions surrounding Mama’s time away (“Are there warm blankets for her?”), as well as things that help with the transition: a new quilt featuring “photos of Mama and me,” a letter from Mama, and an upcoming visit. The intergenerational family’s loving relationship is affirmed throughout (“Your Mama, she’s sick, and that doesn’t mean she’s bad”), as tender illustrations by Diaz (Starting Over in Sunset Park), bordered with bright patterns and striking colors, focus on the family’s day-to-day lives and shifting circumstances. This sensitive, affecting examination serves as a worthy conversation starter. Ages 4–8. (Mar.)