Hope

As he did in Wish and Dream, Cordell imagines a pair of animals-a lion and a lioness this time-celebrating new life. "Dearest Grandchild," they declare. "You are here." The two reflect on all they've survived as Cordell draws them heading toward a round thatched hut. Inside, a younger pair of lions gazes down at their cub. Rays made up of tiny colorful dots shine forth from the baby, a beam of love and connection that appears throughout the book. The grand-lions' prayerful words to the cub touch on inheritance ("You will look upon the same stars that we looked upon"), resilience ("The world is not always light"), and change ("We will not always be here") before they pass on and the narrative begins again in the words of their now-grown grandchild-"Dearest Grandparents," he declares. Even sweeter than its predecessors, this volume gives words to the joy family members experience when their children start families, and lets grandchildren-and grandparents-know how deeply they're loved. Ages 3-5. Agent: Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary Studio. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Two grandparent lions visit their grandchild for the first time and find many ways to express their love and wisdom. They start by reflecting on their age and then move on to point out how joyous our wide world is and that life is a series of experiences. Some will be pleasant; some will not. But their underlying wish for the cub is to keep going forward, keep learning. The cub will taste and hear and see what they have already seen and tasted and heard. The cub will also experience difficulties and hardships. They counsel the cub that those trying times will be the most important occasions to keep hope alive in their heart. Caldecott winner Cordell's companion book to Wish (2015) and Dream (2017) uses simple words and illustrations to express the bond between grandparents and their offspring. His unclothed lions walk on all fours even as they express human emotions and aspirations and appear to live in a thatched dwelling on the savanna. The language is conceptual and not always transparent to young readers: "The world is not always light. At times it goes dark. When even together, we are apart. In these times, we must look for the light. We must look for hope." Still, the emotion rings true. This abstract work will be rendered concrete when shared with a loved one on a lap. (Picture book. 4-6) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.