Review by Booklist Review
Walking a dog through the neighborhood, a child often sees a woman through her open window. At the child's home, the windows are covered by curtains, and the child is intrigued that the woman keeps her window unobstructed. Over time, they exchange greetings, and the narrator learns that the woman is a writer. While the words of the text are spare, the ink-and-watercolor illustrations demonstrate the child's changing perspective. One day the woman is gone, and soon the house is for sale. During an open house, the child visits the home and appreciates having the chance to experience the neighborhood the way their neighbor did. Subtly building on the idea that children initially see only their own points of view before developing empathy and understanding of others, the narrator grows in the ability to take a wider view and even make a new friend through sharing the neighbor's perspective. This book would be useful to encourage children to look at their own surroundings in new ways and consider what they may be missing.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In this wistful story by Lim (Mommy's Hometown), a pale-skinned child who walks a dachshund each day describes a regular stopping point: "a house on the corner with a big, wide window." A dark-haired, pink-cheeked woman sits there; a page of vignettes shows her writing, looking outdoors, sipping from a mug. The two begin to wave, nod, and chat. One day, though, the window is empty, and the child experiences surprise and dismay when it remains so. Yet the encounter suggests new possibilities for the youth, who visits the empty house after its yard yields a "for sale" sign. Looking out the writer's window inspires the child to push aside their own home's closed curtains: "now I see what I've been missing." In a story about inspiration and influence, the protagonist's fleeting visits with a kindly adult lead to a new practice, and a new community interaction. Delicate ink and watercolor spreads from Leng (Piper Chen Sings) trace late afternoon shadows, the antics of the child's dog, and twilight that dyes walls pink, echoing the story's yearning notes. Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 3--7. (May)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
An open window sparks friendship--and leads to inspiration. Each day, the young narrator walks a small dog past a neighbor's house, and each day, the neighbor sits by the open window working. The child wonders what she's doing and why her window has no curtains. The two soon become friendly acquaintances. A turning point arrives when the protagonist tells the neighbor that the dog is called Bear. "What a big name for a small dog!" the neighbor says, finding just the right words to make the youngster smile. Some of the child's questions are answered; as it turns out, the neighbor's a writer. Suddenly, the woman moves away. Saddened, the child visits the house (now for sale) and gazes out the window. Rewarded by "a sweeping view of our block…and the wide open sky," the young narrator realizes at last why the neighbor always eschewed curtains. Back at home, the child begins writing a letter. To the neighbor? No, to another, brown-skinned child who lives nearby--a less obvious but inspired choice on Lim's part. Leng's airy, expressive ink-and-watercolor illustrations alternate between panels and full-bleed spreads, employing a range of perspectives to gently guide readers through this well-paced and simply lovely picture book. The narrator is light-skinned; the writer presents East Asian. A quiet celebration of community and writing.(Picture book. 3-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
