Next to me

In an opening collage made of hand-painted paper shapes, a child wearing a backpack waves to an adult leading a scooter and two dogs: "After my school day is done/ I see PEPPER/ Next to PEANUT/ Next to MAMA!" As the four next head through a city neighborhood, obser- vational text considers the changing landscape--on one page, the child spots "LINES on the street/ Next to the WALKING PERSON/ Let's go!" The lines prove to be a crosswalk, and the walking person... a pedestrian? No, the image on the lit-up walk signal across the road. Succeeding spreads by married team Salmieri (Before, Now) and Haas, making her picture book debut, invite readers to look closely at the artwork, checking what they see against the narrator's stated perceptions. On one page, a salon, deli, and laundromat are introduced via pictorial signs that exhibit "BIG SCISSORS/ Next to SANDWICHES/ Next to SPINNY CLOTHES." It's an absorbing look at how a child interprets their surroundings, which become more personal as the protagonist eats dinner and heads to bed. Characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 3--5. (May)

A look at the people, places, and objects, both novel and familiar, that make up a child's world. School's out, and Mama and two pups are waiting to escort their kiddo home. As they journey through their neighborhood, the child's rhythmic, repetitive refrain names landmarks large and small: "I see ORANGE CONES / Next to a BACKHOE / Next to a BIG HOLE." Look around, the book urges; there's always more to see. The lists encompass kid-friendly favorites, from the "PUFFY CLOUD" to the ever-popular "TWISTY SLIDE," while specifics such as the "SPINNY CLOTHES" laundromat ground readers in the child's world. As the family arrives home, the list transitions to the cozier, more intimate elements leading to bedtime: supper, bathtime, and a story before a "SOFT / Next to SOFT / Next to SOFT" ending that young readers will melt into. In the tub, the "FLOATING BOAT" is festooned with the words SS LIONNI--a reference to kid-lit collage master Leo Lionni--and indeed, Salmieri and Haas' matte collage illustrations, made from paper colored with acrylics and plant-based inks, have a lovely touch of Lionni-esque color and boldness about them. Vibrant outdoor urban scenes pulse with activity and enough changes in perspective to keep things interesting; more subdued indoor scenes focus on small moments, capturing the closeness between parent and child as they share a story. Mama and the child are tan-skinned; their neighborhood is diverse. A reassuring meditation about noticing and appreciating your place in the world.(Picture book. 2-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.