AJ'S NEIGHBORHOOD

A boy goes for a walk with his mother around their new neighborhood in Campbell-Smith’s debut picture book.

AJ and Mom have just moved to a brand-new home and are preparing to walk to the library. AJ worries they’ll get lost, so his mom encourages him to make a map. He greets new neighbors and pencils in locations on his map with symbols; for example, a sunflower represents a garden. He excitedly discovers a fire station and a crowded park. Finally, the pair reach the library, where AJ gets a new library card. Using his map, AJ successfully leads his mom home. AJ lives in an idyllic neighborhood, but he’s a realistic child who likes dragons and wears rain boots even in pleasant weather. Illustrator Dowell portrays cats and plants in both AJ’s house and the library, indicating that both are similar, comfortable places for AJ. There are some amusing full-color visuals, such as a gopher peeking out of grass. However, some characters, including a man at the library, hold their heads at awkward, unnatural angles. Overall, though, this sweet book may be reassuring to children moving to new neighborhoods, and the ending map will encourage readers to flip back to earlier scenes. AJ and his mom are portrayed as Black; other characters have varying skin tones.

A relatable tale of moving that encourages mapmaking.