Caldecott artist Kevin Henkes (Kitten's First Full Moon) sees and beautifully articulates the in-between moments in a child's life. In his lovely, rather philosophical picture book Waiting, Henkes acknowledges that children spend a lot of time waiting for something, or anything, to happen.
Waiting is a microcosm: five sentient toys on a windowsill. "The owl with spots was waiting for the moon." "The pig with the umbrella was waiting for the..." (If the reader pauses, a child will no doubt cry out "rain!") The dog with a sled waits for snow, the kite-holding bear for wind. The rabbit "just liked to look out the window and wait." The simple narrative's most gasp-worthy moment? An ornate toy elephant visits the windowsill, only to fall and break into pieces: "he left and never returned." Outside the window, the seasons march forward in soft, colored-pencil drawings that distinguish the outside world from the inside world, which is captured in brown ink and friendly pastel watercolors. The toys see "wonderful, interesting things" out there: a rainbow, a lightning storm, icicles and frost, fireworks. The loss of the elephant is countered by the arrival of a nesting-doll cat. "Was she waiting for the moon? No." "Was she waiting for the rain? No." (This is a great chance for toddlers to say their favorite word with gusto!) She was waiting for something... for four baby kittens to tumble out!
In the end, the toys, now 10 in number, watch a constellation of butterflies dance around the blossoming branch. They are waiting, just waiting. And something's bound to happen. --Karin Snelson, children's editor, Shelf Awareness