One Day

Moving through a day—from morning wake-up to bedtime story—with an infant son, a narrating parent shares the dreams and hopes they carry for their child as he finds his way in the wider world. Ho’s evocative imagery (“Your feet feel like warm rolls/ wrapped in the palms of my hands”) and emotional, assured tone flow through lines that alternate between present and future scenes, depicting the bouncy baby of today and the growing child who will “embark on adventures,” develop courage, experience sadness, and join with others “in friendship// in love, in unity, in power.” Via kinetic images that blend pencil, ink, watercolor, and linoleum block prints, Pray maintains the rhythm of Ho’s envisioned journey in sweet portraits of the East Asian–cued duo twined with patterned domestic backgrounds and natural landscapes. It’s cozy and hopeful in all the best ways. Ages 4–8. (Mar.)