Not ’Til Tomorrow, Phoebe

In her second outing, Phoebe—a tough-minded, brown-skinned girl in ladybug boots—has a hard time waiting for tomorrow. Her mother promises pancakes in the morning and ice cream in the afternoon, while at school there will be a party—but none of it is happening today: “There was nothing fun about waiting. And that’s exactly what you had to do to get to... tomorrow.” As Phoebe’s frustration mounts, she imagines herself as a brown bear who growls from the back seat and “bumped Mama’s seat with her back paws.” Holmes works in fine ink outlines and pleasing digital colors, providing a sense of intimacy to Phoebe’s home life and school community. A tearful conversation with her grandmother inspires Phoebe to appreciate the tomorrows in store and to relish a good night’s sleep. The story’s not quite a prescription for mindfulness, but following Phoebe’s lead may take readers a step closer to living in the moment. Ages 3–7. [em](Mar.) [/em]