WHEN I SEE YOU

A lyrical ode from an expectant mother to her soon-to-be-born child.

A Black, freckled, pregnant mother describes the magical adventures she’d love to go on with her child, depicted with dark skin covered with tiny stars. “I wish I could float to you / in a red balloon,” the parent sighs. “Find you in a galaxy. I dream of the things we’d do.” The mother’s fantasies are whimsical: ice-skating on Pluto, making s’mores out of marshmallow moons, eating macaroons while “dancing down chocolate-ice-cream streets.” The two regale extraterrestrials with ghost stories, sing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” to the Nebula lagoon, make snow angels among the clouds, go sledding along Saturn’s rings, and construct sand castles on Martian dunes. Featuring an inspired use of imagery (“We’d braid air like Rapunzel’s hair”), Barnes’ rhyming text exudes a sense of joy and anticipation; expectant parents will readily relate. McCarthy’s illustrations are the standout; her ethereal artwork makes it clear that we’re all made of star stuff. Mother and child romp against saturated, textured backgrounds, and while the scenes take surreal twists, the overall mood is loving, dreamy, and tender.

A rapturous journey powered by love that’s sure to transport readers across galaxies and back.