The Kiss Box

“[S]ooner or later, all mama bears need to go away, even if it’s just for a little while,” writes debut author Verburg, founder and editorial director of Scholastic’s Blue Sky Press imprint. But separation anxiety is no little thing—how can Little Bear be assured that out of sight doesn’t mean out of mind? Mama Bear has a couple of ideas, but Little Bear comes up with the best one: he creates the titular box that he fills with a hundred kisses (in the form of cutout hearts), and has Mama Bear do the same. Whenever they miss one another, they can hold the box close or even open it up to “send kisses back and forth.” Verburg handles her emotionally freighted material (based on personal experience, according to the endnote) with a light, patient touch, giving Little Bear’s qualms their full due before introducing his solution. Cole’s (the Big Chickens series) watercolor and colored pencil cartoons are friendly and familiar—there’s something very reassuring in the understated emotion of his portrayals and the graceful beauty of his outdoor settings. Ages 3–5. (Dec.)