Someday

by Alison McGhee, illus. by Peter H. Reynolds

Perhaps aimed more at the parent than the child, this book is perfect for any new (or experienced) mother. “One day I counted your fingers and kissed each one,” the book begins, then goes on to unfold an understated yet emotion-charged expression of a mother’s love and hopes for her child. The illustrations portray mother and daughter sharing everyday moments that mark the milestones of the girl’s childhood. The mother watches snowflakes “melt on your baby skin” and crosses the street grasping her child’s hand. On one page, the youngster rides a tricycle, aided by her mother, while opposite the girl rides a bicycle by herself (“Then, you were my baby,/ and now you are my child”). Quietly the emotion builds, as the mother thinks of the future in store for her daughter (including the daughter’s own experience of motherhood: “Someday I will watch you brushing your child's hair”), and the many bittersweet moments ahead of her.