PRESCHOOL
Thurman, Brittany J.

Forever and Always

(3) PS Illustrated by Shamar Knight-Justice. When Daddy, an emergency medical technician, departs for work each day, time seems to drag on “forever and ever and ever” as Olivia, a young Black girl, and her mother count the hours until his return. They “always” miss him, and fears for his safety prey on their minds, but a grounding daily routine -- fixing breakfast together, completing chores, styling Olivia’s hair, making a forever bracelet that will “protect [Daddy] always” -- boosts their morale. Hugs, laughter, daddy-daughter dances, and cozy family dinners mark the trio’s end-of-day reunions, feelingly portrayed in the pattern-rich digital-mixed-media illustrations. An author’s note reflecting on the heightened, everyday endangerment of Black lives adds context to Thurman’s heartening narrative about love’s perennial power in the face of life’s precious fragility.

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