I DIDN'T LEAVE BECAUSE OF YOU

This picture book hopes to comfort children whose parents have left them.

For kids, there are few experiences more painful than abandonment. Sometimes, though, a parent has little choice in the matter, as the narrator explains to a beloved child in warmly expressed rhyming couplets or tercets. Reasons for leaving can include substance abuse, mental illness, or incarceration—situations where departing is a necessary part of protecting children. But the tale emphasizes that no matter what, absent parents don’t forget their children. The story closes with the hope that the youngster will heal and a request for forgiveness, with a final reminder that whatever the reason, “I didn’t leave because of you.” A single work, especially a picture book, can’t solve such a complex issue, which can be oversimplified; some parents do, in fact, forget about their kids. At times, the target audience seems to be guilt-stricken parents rather than their children, who may not understand concepts like thinking “your life would be better if I didn’t stay.” Nevertheless, it’s important for abandoned kids to know it’s not their fault, and White’s story could foster discussion. The digital images by debut illustrator Manning depict racially diverse characters and sympathetically portray children’s distress.

While it leaves some unanswered questions, this abandonment tale should help start a conversation.