Sam’s Super Seats

Supported by a series of “super seats,” Sam, a Black child who has cerebral palsy, goes back-to-school shopping in an exuberant picture book that centers ease and rest. Preparing to meet up with two best friends, Sam acknowledges that “I overdid it on the swings” the day before, so sits on their favorite super seat—“comfortable and graceful” living room couch Misty, named for ballerina Misty Copeland. En route to the mall, they next perch on “funny, cool, and kind” Laney, the car’s back seat. After assembling outfits (including pieces of adaptive clothing) and posing in new duds that make them feel “good on the inside and outside... strong... and ready to learn,” Sam needs a rest. The group sits down together on a wooden bench that befriends Sam. (“I know I’m not that comfy,” says Maya the bench, “but I can help you rest when you are tired.”) Brown’s (The Pretty One, for adults) candid prose matches the characters’ affectionate demeanors and open expressions, while Miller’s (Michelle’s Garden) pencil-and-watercolor illustrations add playfulness to an assured story about accommodation and self-love. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Alexander Slater, Trident Media Group. Illustrator’s agent: Monica Odom, Odom Media Management. (Aug.)