Henry at Home

Siblings Liza and Henry do everything together, including getting simultaneous haircuts, receiving flu shots while holding hands, and pretending to rescue animals. As Maynor humorously relays, “They knew all the same people.// And went to all the same parties.” But when older sister Liza starts kindergarten, the younger sibling finds himself in a defensive funk, playing pretend and visiting the Twisty Tree, his and Liza’s Best Place, alone. When Liza returns from school, the duo find themselves exchanging tales of their new experiences. Resonant dialogue clearly conveys the siblings’ closeness and their respective emotions, while luminous digital art by Marley centers the brown-skinned siblings’ simple-featured expressiveness; appealing doodled overlays bring their imagination sessions to life. Younger siblings or those worried about distance weakening close bonds will find reassurance in this tender narrative. Ages 4–7. (July)