Wait

Starred review from May 4, 2015
Portis (Froodle) examines the push-and-pull between a parent who wants to get where she’s going and a boy whose journey is all about discovery. The two figures are drawn with thick black lines, and their light brown skin and dark hair give them a universal appearance. “Hurry,” the boy’s mother says, looking at her watch; they have a train to catch. The storefronts they pass are brick, and the buildings they pass could be five years old, or 50. The boy looks behind him and sees a woman walking a dachshund. “Wait,” he says, holding out the back of his hand for the dog to sniff. “Hurry!” his mother repeats. “Wait,” the boy says again, this time at the sight of a cement mixer spilling cement on the road. On they go, the alternating words “Hurry” and “Wait” the story’s only text until, right at the door of the train, the boy spies something so lovely that his mother has to agree: “Yes. Wait.” Economy and affection give this story the dimensions of a classic. Ages 3–7. Agent: Deborah Warren, East/West Literary.

Starred review from May 1, 2015
A mother struggles to get her curious little boy to their morning train. Flat illustrations and matte digital coloring evoke the two-dimensional, strategic thinking she needs to successfully advance her morning commute. Heavy charcoal linework and thick outlines offer broad, vivid projections of the friendly people, animals, and city scenes that greet the boy and his mother on their walk, as well as the child's strong desire to investigate and the mother's urgent need to make the train. She steers insistently headlong up the road as he zigzags and doubles back to points of interest: a waving workman, bubbling tropical fish, a butterfly, hungry ducks. Back and forth and with each page turn, the two call to each other, "Hurry" and "Wait." Sheepish grown-ups will see themselves in the mother, with her eyes and body angled away from the boy, and children will grin at this book's implicit validation of young people's desire to meander. Panoramic double-page spreads describe their movements toward the station, where the mother finally shouts out a bigger "hurry," and large raindrops begin to fall. Just as the train boards, the boy stops dead in his tracks, seeing something in the sky that just demands a moment to enjoy. Finally, his mother agrees, scoops him up, and marvels.Beautifully controlled pacing and an immensely satisfying rainbow resolution make this book an effective refutation of frenzied schedules. (Picture book. 2-6)

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Starred review from May 1, 2015

PreS-K-The conflicting agendas of a mother and preschooler play out in this classic scenario depicting a leisurely/rushed walk to the bus. Two of only three words employed in the text form a call-and-response pattern. Naturally it is the adult who admonishes, "Hurry!" The protagonist wants to greet a friendly dog, wave to the cement truck worker, and feed the ducks in the park. Portis's signature black outlines surrounding the people, creatures, and objects offer a pleasing clarity that contrasts with the softer, more amorphous backgrounds. Rendered in charcoal, ink, and pencil, with digital coloring, these scenes provide ample opportunity to follow the boy's lead, pausing to notice details, count things, and discuss colors, shapes, and signs. There is much to notice, such as the ladybug perched on the title page's "t"-drawing attention to the titular word itself. The insect or a replica of its form appears in surprising spots as the book progresses, as do other visual threads. One delightful scene places readers inside a tropical fish shop peering through an aquarium; the view aligns a fish's eye with the boy's. Pacing varies, controlled by perspective and the number of pages between words. After the mother exclaims, "Hurry!" three times in a row, as showers fall, the pair reach the bus. The imploring child gets the "Yes. Wait." he has longed for, however, when his parent notices the double rainbow. VERDICT Portis has a gift for creating rich visual narratives for young children; this one will resonate with their caretakers, too.-Wendy Lukehart, District of Columbia Public Library

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