What Will Mommy Do When I'm at School?

The considerate black girl in this comforting book turns her own fears about exchanging her well-known daily routine for the world of school into concern for her mother. ``As long as I've known my mom, I've never left her alone,'' she muses. She goes on to recount many of the pleasurable experiences they shared when they stayed home together: making muffins in the morning, singing songs, combing each other's hair, reading books and shopping for groceries. Her mom lets the girl know that she shouldn't worry about her. Although she'll miss her daughter, she won't have time to be lonely, as she is starting a new job. The girl promises to teach her mother all that she learns in school, thus giving the story a reassuring resolution: there will still be time for sharing. Although Johnson's realistic watercolor and colored-pencil drawings are not particularly distinctive, her tale offers a fresh perspective on a familiar subject. Ages 3-6. (Sept.)