Wait

Portis (Froodle) examines the push-and-pull between a parent who wants to get where she’s going and a boy whose journey is all about discovery. The two figures are drawn with thick black lines, and their light brown skin and dark hair give them a universal appearance. “Hurry,” the boy’s mother says, looking at her watch; they have a train to catch. The storefronts they pass are brick, and the buildings they pass could be five years old, or 50. The boy looks behind him and sees a woman walking a dachshund. “Wait,” he says, holding out the back of his hand for the dog to sniff. “Hurry!” his mother repeats. “Wait,” the boy says again, this time at the sight of a cement mixer spilling cement on the road. On they go, the alternating words “Hurry” and “Wait” the story’s only text until, right at the door of the train, the boy spies something so lovely that his mother has to agree: “Yes. Wait.” Economy and affection give this story the dimensions of a classic. Ages 3–7. Agent: Deborah Warren, East/West Literary. (July)