Tough Like Mum

March 15, 2021
Kim is tough, just like her mum. But today Mum's staying in bed, with the blanket wrapped tightly around her. Kim pulls her thumb out of her mouth (before Mum can see it there) and gets up to start the day. She prepares her lunch bag and checks her homework. Almost ready. But Mum forgot to sign Kim's field-trip form! "Don't start on me, Kim!" says Mum, who's still curled up in bed. What can Kim do? Grab some spare change for the field trip. Not enough to cover the $6, but "maybe Mrs. Jones won't notice." The school day brings its pleasures and pains--Mrs. Jones does call out the incomplete form--but Kim keeps her composure, like Mum seems to do. Returning home, Kim sees that Mum's "at the table wearing what she slept in last night." Maybe some tomato soup can help. "Eat. You'll feel better," insists Kim. It's a small gesture, but it finally cuts through the gloom that surrounds her mum. Button elevates these tender moments thanks to a keen sense of compassion for her characters, underlining that even the most seemingly mundane moments can have an impact. Buried within this showcase of a loving mother-daughter relationship is the potential catharsis of grappling with accepting help. Mok's compassionate gouache artwork--full of muted colors, gently curving lines, and arresting facial expressions--enfolds this tale in its earnest embrace. Mostly light-skinned characters fill out the cast, including Kim and her mum. (This book was reviewed digitally with 9-by-16.6-inch double-page spreads viewed at 82% of actual size.) Powerful in its vulnerability. (Picture book. 4-10)

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April 12, 2021
According to “everyone in town,” Kim, a pale child with brown hair, is “tough” like her single mother, who works as a waitress and for whom it’s difficult to make ends meet. Groceries seem limited, and contextual clues imply that the family’s power has been turned off: “I don’t need the stove to make this soup taste good,” Kim says, and their home is lit solely by candle at night. For lunch, there’s “just ends. So the last two pieces of pepperoni and a mustard smile.” But the child attempts to sustain a positive attitude, channeling her mother throughout the day despite lacking funds for a field trip and experiencing bullying. Mok offers simple, carefully shaded gouache and colored-pencil art, underlining this sensitive portrayal of the bond between one mother and child navigating difficult circumstances and whether to welcome help. Ages 3–7.