GRANDMOTHER, HAVE THE ANGELS COME?

Kono’s flowing acrylics swirl about this bright, abstract tribute to an old woman’s love for her little brown granddaughter, who thinks angels have made her wonderful grandmother the way she is: white hair, bowed back, slow step. Grandmother answers every query by agreeing and explaining that each sign of age is a loving gift to bless her granddaughter. Where the little girl questions the physical world around her, however, Grandmother spins a spiritual depth to their explorations together, at a level that will be only partially understood by young readers: “Will you taste the wild honey / and drink my lemonade? / Yes, my darling granddaughter. / I will taste the sweetness of your Spirit / and we will drink the lasting waters.” In the end, Grandmother gathers all the questions and extends the flame of a candle to her granddaughter, promising that “together... / We will set the world on fire,” an unarguably beautiful inspiration that needs a little tinkering and demystifying to work with its target audience. (Picture book. 3-5)