Hello, friends! I’m sorry we keep missing review days, but we’ll be making our big house move tomorrow, so hopefully once we get settled, our schedule will not be as spotty. For now, we’re here today with a review of Waiting by Kevin Henkes, an innocently sweet story of five friends and their life together.

There were five of them: the spotted owl, the pig with the umbrella, the bear with the kite, the puppy on the sled, and the bunny with stars. They were always together, and always waiting for something: the owl waited for the moon, the puppy for snow, and the bunny… well, he just liked to wait. When their favorite type of weather would blow, they were happy, and in between they would spend their days together, watching the small wonders of the world from their windowsill. Sometimes one would leave for a while, but they would always come back. And one day, when a cat with patches comes to stay, they find that their little makeshift family expands – by more than they think.

This is a strange yet wonderful book that takes a very small corner of the world, a child’s windowsill where a few of their toys are kept, and creates from it an entire world. The combination of the simple, straightforward text and Henke’s signature subtle illustrations brings to life a story that never leaves its unassuming location, yet still finds rich characters and a lovely story to tell. It’s a tale about appreciating the details, and taking a moment to stop and wait for the small wonders of life to unfold. It’s a good length, and JJ likes it a lot. A gentle, charming, and soothing story, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved!