MY NANA AND ME
by Irene Smalls & illustrated by Cathy Ann Johnson
A day of small adventures for a pre-school girl and her grandmother. Warm watercolor illustrations accompany the lean and straightforward narrative, in which the young African-American heroine describes a series of games and activities. As the day progresses, the background changes from gold and orange to green to a lavender sky dotted with stars. Similarly, a tea party gives way to dress-up and dancing, hair-braiding and a bath. Almost every page of the text has one line written in snaking cursive (“story after story after story”); it’s easy to imagine this as a call-and-response between reader and listener. The opening page features a spot for the young reader to affix a picture of herself and her Nana. A loving tribute with effective images and broad appeal. (Picture book. 2-6)