A SUITCASE SURPRISE FOR MOMMY
by Cat Cora illustrated by Joy Allen
Iron Chef and debut children’s author Cora obviously understands the challenges of the working mom. Here she addresses a son’s anxiety when his mother prepares to travel for work. Mommy announces an upcoming trip, and Zoran is upset at the thought of missing her so much. She comes up with an idea: Zoran should choose “something special of [his for her] to take” on her travels so that they may “both feel better.” So begins a search for the perfect item for Mommy to pack. A favorite truck is too big, and a remote-controlled robot is too noisy. Zoran is about to despair when Mommy cheers him up: “…no matter how high I fly or how far away I travel, my heart stays home with you.” This inspires Zoran to choose a sweet picture he drew at school for his Mommy. She assures him she will keep it with her throughout her journey, and all seems amazingly well. Allen successfully depicts the vacillating moods of Zoran as well as the constant loving nature of Mommy with softened bright colors in gouache and pencil. The appeal of this well-intentioned effort is limited to those experiencing a similar situation; others will find little to entertain young readers. (Picture book. 3-5)