I MISS MY FRIEND AND THAT'S OKAY

Perry-Knights’ picture book offers a look at military family resettlement.

A young girl named Grace has just moved with her family to Naples, Italy, where her Army soldier father is now stationed. This separates her from her friend Kerrington, back at Fort Benning in Georgia. In letters to her, Grace explains she has special classes and a youth sponsor to help her adapt to the new language and environment; Kerrington also writes about her own school experiences. They send each other pictures; Grace visits Roman aqueducts while Kerrington learns about ancient Rome. Although both make new friends, the youngsters miss each other terribly, but they realize “that’s okay.” The story gives context and representation to a situation that many families experience. It may also help educators explain to classes why they’re getting a new student, or why one is leaving midyear. At certain points, individual words have different colors and larger typefaces; initially, readers may think this designates potentially unfamiliar terms, such as gelato or youth sponsor. Later, though, okay and Christmas are emphasized. There’s no glossary, so this styling effect is confusing and lacks a clear reason. Shelkunova’s full-color cartoon illustrations are cute throughout. Grace and her mother appear Black, and Kerrington and her mother appear white.

A pleasant, if unevenly executed, reminder that friendship extends beyond borders.