Tomorrow

August 1, 2018
A story about how a child and his family cope with war.Yazan, a Syrian boy, has not been able to go to the park to play recently nor to go to school sometimes, which upsets him. He used to have fun watching his mother paint and painting with her, but recently she has been constantly watching TV with the volume so loud and the images spilling out of it full of darkness--literally: Shadows ooze out of it in the pencil-and-watercolor illustrations, one of many symbolic images used to portray war and destruction. One weekend, after all of Yazan's attempts at self-entertainment and to engage with his parents fail, he escapes. However, the world he sees outside is not what he expected: The street is empty, there are no other kids to play with, and scary sounds of explosions abound. Yazan's father eventually comes to the rescue, and his parents become more involved again, explaining to him why he cannot go outside. His mother brings her paints, and Yazan is excited. "When will the fighting be over?" he asks. "I don't know," says his mother, but "let's paint a park in your bedroom...and soon, you'll be able to go outside again and play."Kaadan crafts a happy ending within an active war context, no easy feat; readers seeking a less fantasy-dependent plot may enjoy Nicola Davies and Rebecca Cobb's The Day War Came (2018) or Hayan Charara and Sara Kahn's The Three Lucys (2016). (Picture book. 4-8)

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February 1, 2019

K-Gr 2-Yazan, a young boy living in Syria, is frustrated by the changes in his life. He's not able to play in the park, go to school or spend time with his friend next door. Not just his daily routines have changed. His mother, a painter who no longer paints, is instead glued to the television news and before leaving the house, his dad makes phone calls to check on the "traffic" situation outside. Yazan tries to combat his boredom, but one day he grabs his bicycle and walks outside. Nothing looks the same and there are loud, frightening sounds all around him. Expecting to get yelled at for leaving without permission, Yazan is surprised when his mother envelops him in a hug. Saying it is too dangerous for him to go outside right now, she offers an alternative. They can paint a beautiful park on the wall of his bedroom. It will have to do, for now. The pencil and watercolor artwork uses a primarily dark palette emphasizing the seriousness of the book. It lightens up as Yazan and his mother paint the park on the wall hoping for peaceful days to come. This simple story about a family living in a war torn country is accessible to young children, but could be used effectively with older readers as well. VERDICT The realities of war are introduced gently, showing the profound effect on families. A recommended purchase.-Sara-Jo Lupo Sites, George F. Johnson Memorial Library, Endicott, NY

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