A PLACE FOR US

A wordless tale that speaks loudly of American inequality.

At the end of the school day, a mother picks up her son from school. Parent and child, both of whom present Black, hug before stopping for a meal at a fast-food restaurant. At dusk, the pair walk to the local library, where the boy does his homework and the mother reads a novel—notably, it’s Lesa Cline-Ransome’s Finding Langston (2018), the story of another Black child who knows hardship, written by the author’s wife. At closing time, the librarian comes to turn out the lights. After exiting the library, parent and child walk to a park, where they talk, and the youngster plays in the fall leaves. In the dark, the two settle down on a bench with the city lights and skyline as backdrop. While the child sleeps, his head resting in his mother’s lap, she remains vigilant throughout the night. When the sun rises, she gets the boy ready for school, combing his hair and looking on as he brushes his teeth at a water fountain. Ransome’s gorgeous, richly hued watercolors convey the love between mother and child, balancing the difficulties they face with moments of true joy. In an author’s note, he asks, “In a country of vast resources, what is our responsibility to those without access to the basic necessities?” Readers of this empathetic tale will come away resolved to work toward a world in which all people’s needs are met.

Thought-provoking, heartbreaking, and moving.