What Will I Do if I Miss You? – Melissa T. Shultz & Lilia Miceli (Illustrator)
We’re headed back to school, so it felt fitting to highlight a book that aims to help young children who are feeling a little anxious about being away from their parents!
Summary: Alex is starting day school, but thinking about being away from his mom for so long makes him feel worried! So he and his mom devise a plan to use their magical connection — heart to heart — to feel close to one another even if they cannot be together. Based on a true story, What Will I Do if I Miss You? is the perfect picture book for families with working parents or children going to school or daycare for the first time.
(Summary from book – Image from familius.com – This book was given to me for free in exchange for an honest review.)
Mindy’s Review: When little ones head to school for the first time, out into the world and away from familiar faces, it can be a difficult transition.
What Will I Do if I Miss You? introduces readers to Alex, a little boy who is headed to school for the first time while his mother goes to work. Alex is worried. Will he know anyone? Will he have to meet new people? Who will pick him up? What will he do when he misses his mama? Together, Alex and his mother devise a way to calm his fears, even when they aren’t together. In the final pages of the book, Alex’s fears begin to dissipate, and with his newfound courage, he takes the lessons he learned and passes them on.
With engaging, emotive illustrations, What Will I Do if I Miss You? has a comforting message that helps young hearts feel connected to their parents and secure in their love, no matter what. I loved the way this book presents school and daycare as an exciting adventure, while still acknowledging the very real fears that many children feel when they begin spending more time away from home. Alex’s story will also (likely) encourage families to create their own special signal to help them feel loved all day long, even when they are apart. What Will I Do if I Miss You? is an excellent book for little ones who are preparing to make the leap into public school, daycare, or spending time away from home.
Rating: 4.25 stars
For the Sensitive Reader: All Clear
