WINDOWS

Readers are invited to match their observant eyes with those of a child out for an evening walk.

A young child of color puts on a red hoodie and goes for a walk in his neighborhood in the hours between sunset and bedtime. The neighborhood is mostly residential with two-story homes, apartment houses, and some small businesses. The family dog goes along as the child (referred to as “you” throughout in the second-person narrative) notes the animals—a cat and a raccoon—they pass by. The child notes the windows and what the people or animals that can be seen within their frames are doing; they may be playing an instrument or dancing or painting. At the end of the walk they go past a house with no lights on; its windows “leave you to fill them up with stories.” Finally, home beckons, and child and mother curl up in a comfy chair for a bedtime story. Denos’ story is quiet, thoughtful, and paced to the beat of a gentle rhythm. Debut illustrator Goodale’s delicately detailed ink, watercolor, letterpress, and digital collage illustrations display palettes of the evening and night skies with beautifully nuanced shades of yellow, gold, and blue. The red-hooded child of color with dog can’t help but recall Peter and Willie, and this book is a lovely, affirming follow-up.

A warmhearted tale of a child, a dog, and their peaceful, friendly, and inviting neighborhood.