Home to Me, Home to You

A mother's much anticipated arrival after her business trip is at the center of Ericsson's (She Did It!) warm homecoming story. Alternating between the young daughter's perspective and that of her mother, the narrative describes the expectant feelings shared by both as they look forward to their reunion later in the day. Spreads feature the pair thinking of each other in congruous ways. ""After breakfast, my playgroup comes over... We make an airport..., and I fly one of the planes high over our city. 'This is my mommy coming home,' I say."" The facing page features a view out a plane window as the mother reflects, ""The plane takes off, and everything on the ground shrinks to the size of your toys."" With accoutrements such as a laptop, bottled water and a book, Wolff's (the Miss Bindergarten series) softly edged watercolors portray a realistic, contemporary setting. While a younger audience may need an explanation of who is talking when (a change in typeface denotes the shifts), the affectionate feelings throughout the book deliver a message of security for this age group. The build-up to the mother's entrance (in time to put her daughter to bed) will have readers relishing the duo's embrace at the end and probably wanting a comfy cuddle as well. Ages 3-6.