When I see you

"Where do you come from, little bird,/ like a ticklefeather in flight?// From ancient moons in outer space,/ the deepest part of night?" Affectionately told from a first-person point of view, this yearning picture book features an expecting parent wishing to visit, via red balloon, the "galaxy" where they imagine their future offspring dwells. In a candy-colored palette, McCarthy depicts the two cavorting happily in space, one portrayed as an adult with brown skin who wears a yellow dress, and the other represented as a dancing, standing toddler-age child with skin that resembles a starry night sky. Standard rhyming verse from Barnes, meanwhile, reveals the duo's imagined intergalactic adventures: "We could make snow angels/ in cotton-candy clouds// as we float about/ reading our favorite books out loud." It's a heartfelt ode to awaiting a new arrival that contemplates both shared adventures and the moment when "you won't just be a dream." Ages 4--8. (May)

A lyrical ode from an expectant mother to her soon-to-be-born child. A Black, freckled, pregnant mother describes the magical adventures she'd love to go on with her child, depicted with dark skin covered with tiny stars. "I wish I could float to you / in a red balloon," the parent sighs. "Find you in a galaxy. I dream of the things we'd do." The mother's fantasies are whimsical: ice-skating on Pluto, making s'mores out of marshmallow moons, eating macaroons while "dancing down chocolate-ice-cream streets." The two regale extraterrestrials with ghost stories, sing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" to the Nebula lagoon, make snow angels among the clouds, go sledding along Saturn's rings, and construct sand castles on Martian dunes. Featuring an inspired use of imagery ("We'd braid air like Rapunzel's hair"), Barnes' rhyming text exudes a sense of joy and anticipation; expectant parents will readily relate. McCarthy's illustrations are the standout; her ethereal artwork makes it clear that we're all made of star stuff. Mother and child romp against saturated, textured backgrounds, and while the scenes take surreal twists, the overall mood is loving, dreamy, and tender. A rapturous journey powered by love that's sure to transport readers across galaxies and back. (Picture book. 0-4) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.