UNCLE PETE AND THE QUEST FOR THE PERFECT BEAT

Two children turn to their visiting uncle, a red panda, to help them cope with the grief of losing their mother in this rhythmic picture book.

Elvira and Alexandra, based on Belgian author Schoofs’ daughters, are grieving their Chinese mother’s death. Uncle Pete, a musician, comes “to magic some smiles on to our faces” with plans to lay a track to the perfect beat. Uncle Pete, with his bushy tail sticking out from his shirt, starts his visit with food and fun. At a visit to the temple, he reminds the girls no matter where they go, they are never separate from their mother’s love. The sisters help Uncle Pete make music, but it’s still not quite right. Later, after a colorful, musical dream in which the girls’ mother promises to be with them always, Uncle Pete gathers the family for a hug, where they all realize their heartbeats, joined in love, are the perfect beat. Schoofs’ rhyming stanzas have uniquely syncopated rhythms, which can make the scansion challenging. The vocabulary includes words in Chinese (some in untranslated Chinese characters) and strange phrases, like “flaneur about town,” which may require explanation. The Chinese elements enhance the reading experience, and they reflect Elvira and Alexandra’s heritage. Le and Phan’s bright digital illustrations, especially in the dream sequence, emphasize the way that joy can help to combat grief, with the message that enjoying life doesn’t lessen love for the person who is lost.

A uniquely musical take on coping with the grief of losing a parent.