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PICTURE BOOKS
Johnson, Kevin

Cape

40 pp. | Roaring Brook | June, 2023 | Trade ISBN 9781250840509 $18.99 | Ebook ISBN 9781250336132 $10.99
(1) K-3 Illustrated by Kitt Thomas. On the day of a funeral, a young brown-skinned boy wears the cape that the deceased gave him, as a shield against painful memories. After the funeral, the child continues to use the cape to block out the adults as they share memories of his loved one. Finally, he allows himself to remember. He recalls the man's laugh and his love. In his debut picture book--"a love letter to my dad," per the appended note--Johnson sensitively portrays a young child grappling with grief. The text is spare, with some wordless pages and many containing only one sentence. Despite the small number of words, the boy's big emotions are clear. Thomas's digital illustrations provide beautiful support to the story. In the opening pages, we can clearly see the boy's sadness through his downturned eyes and tears. Early images are slightly muted to portray his sadness; when he begins to allow his memories in, the images become more vibrant. This book is a very welcome and approachable way to discuss grief and death with young readers. In his author's note, Johnson provides more details about his own late father, "my own personal Superman."
Reviewer: Nicholl Denice Montgomery | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2023

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