At the Window

In this wistful story by Lim (Mommy’s Hometown), a pale-skinned child who walks a dachshund each day describes a regular stopping point: “a house on the corner with a big, wide window.” A dark-haired, pink-cheeked woman sits there; a page of vignettes shows her writing, looking outdoors, sipping from a mug. The two begin to wave, nod, and chat. One day, though, the window is empty, and the child experiences surprise and dismay when it remains so. Yet the encounter suggests new possibilities for the youth, who visits the empty house after its yard yields a “for sale” sign. Looking out the writer’s window inspires the child to push aside their own home’s closed curtains: “now I see what I’ve been missing.” In a story about inspiration and influence, the protagonist’s fleeting visits with a kindly adult lead to a new practice, and a new community interaction. Delicate ink and watercolor spreads from Leng (Piper Chen Sings) trace late afternoon shadows, the antics of the child’s dog, and twilight that dyes walls pink, echoing the story’s yearning notes. Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 3–7. (May)