Maybe Tomorrow?, written by Charlotte Agell, reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Student Reviewer: Andrew S.
Summary: Maybe Tomorrow? Is about two beautifully drawn characters Elba and Norris and the beginning of their friendship. Elba was dragging a big block of sadness with her. Norris danced with joy and she walked around. She noticed that Elba was sad and invited her on a picnic. Elba did not want to go because of her heavy burden. Elba decided that maybe tomorrow her load would be lighter and she would consider spending time with Norris. One day, Elba told her story to Norris and she felt lighter. “It’s okay,” said Norris. “Sometimes, we have to let things go.”

Straight Talk for Librarians: The story deals with loss and grief in a way that is gentle and understanding. The books discusses the importance of good friends and the positive impact they have on one’s life, as well as the significance of reaching out a helping hand to others one might see struggling. González’s art is captivating and soft, mirroring text describing the relationship between the characters. Death and sadness will never be easy to discuss with young children, but this book can start the conversation. Multiple moods and emotions are used to further character development and show the bright side of dark times. The vocabulary is also light and easy to understand, similarly to the metaphor used to describe Elba’s sadness. Parents can read this book to their children if they are dealing with loss. All in all, Maybe Tomorrow? is a beautiful story with an even more beautiful message about rebuilding and moving forward, even when you have suffered a devastating loss. It might be a good purchase for a school counselor in addition to the school library.