DON'T WANT TO GO!
by Shirley Hughes & illustrated by Shirley Hughes
Pleasantly predictable, this new offering from a veteran perfectly captures a typical childhood experience. Parents in particular will recognize young Lily’s initial resistance to a change in her routine and chuckle at her eventual about face. With her stay-at-home mom sick in bed and her father heading to work, arrangements must be made for Lily’s care. Her delaying tactics (first pouting, then losing her mittens) don’t slow things much, and soon she finds herself hustled off to a friendly neighbor. She warms up slowly, but a cheerful baby and engaging puppy help the process considerably. By the time her father arrives at the end of the day, Lily’s snuggled on the sofa with Ringo the dog and has changed her tune, if not her actual words. Plenty of repetition, including the title phrase, and lots of simple declarative sentences keep the relatively long text from dragging and enhance the charmingly child-like tone. Hughes’s characteristic chubby-cheeked tots and slightly scratchy ink work further expand her tale’s appeal. Familiar and comforting. (Picture book. 3-6)