Tilly’s Staycation

There’s any number of reasons a family might not be able to travel for vacation, but explaining that perceived unfairness to a child isn’t always easy. Luckily for a girl named Tilly, her mother is a good sport. “We’ll have just as much fun as everyone else, you’ll see,” she tells Tilly, who’s upset that her friends are going to India, Paris, Florida, and elsewhere. Tilly’s mother whisks her around the city, from the library to the market and back home to create a blanket tent (“Welcome to our vacation home!” her mother says with a laugh), and thanks to her mother’s high spirits and a healthy dose of imagination, Tilly becomes a convert to the staycation lifestyle. Debut talent Hibbs’s paintings exude a cheerfulness to match the sort of special day that Tilly’s mother is trying to create for her daughter, and her urban settings blend everyday diversity with touches of whimsical humor (at the library, some patrons wear hijabs or use wheelchairs; others include a pirate and a dragon). A graceful, light-handed reminder that one needn’t travel far to enjoy the good life. Ages 3–8. (July)