And they walk on

A child remembers a late loved one in this emotionally centered picture book about the Indigenous concept of "walking on." Contemplating where those who have walked on end up, the narrator wonders, "Did they go to the market to thump green melons and sail shopping carts in the sea of aisles?" A visit to the late figure's home prompts further noticing: "Their things are still here as if they just stepped out: jacket by the door, hair in the brush." But "when I close my eyes, I feel their heart in the hearth of the kitchen." And a pot of warm grape dumplings and a mug of eucalyptus tea slowly summon the loved one's presence. Maillard (Fry Bread), an enrolled member of the Seminole Nation, gently establishes the child's feelings of loss and yearning before showing how the senses can help one travel into memory, and how, "when they walk on," loved ones "stay with us like the glimmer of a distant star." Digitally assembled acrylic, colored pencil, and watercolor illustrations from López (The Year We Learned to Fly) incorporate vibrant hues, soft textures, and Mexican and Seminole influences. Creators' notes and a recipe for grape dumplings conclude. Ages 4--8. Author's agent: Gillian MacKenzie, Gillian MacKenzie Agency. Illustrator's agent: Stefanie Sanchez Von Borstel, Full Circle Literary. (Oct.)

A child grapples with the strange largeness of grief. Where do our loved ones go when they walk on, and what does that mean for those who miss them? This poignant meditation on loss centers on the household that a grandmother leaves behind as life goes on. As the family packs up her home, each chore offers an opportunity to ponder what she's doing elsewhere, earthly tasks made magnificent by the wonders of an unknowable beyond--perhaps she waters a garden, growing titanic sequoias or herbaceous jungles; perhaps she's fishing, nabbing a dinnertime catch with the help of a friendly whale. All the while, her grandchild moves through their previously shared space, navigating death's contradictions and confronting tensions between the permanence of loss and the material proof of life interrupted. The narrative's conclusion leaves readers with a vital reminder: Mortality unifies humanity, but remembrance and the momentum that it inspires suggest an afterlife without end. The text's treatment of grief is masterful and accessible, exploring the experience of loss with affirmative nuance, while captivating visuals emphasize the permeability between life and what lies ahead; the windy tendrils done in rainbow colors are especially affecting. Maillard (Seminole Nation) and Mexican illustrator López hail from cultures with distinct death traditions, each of which is touched on individually in informational backmatter. The protagonists are brown-skinned, and references to both creators' heritages are woven into the artwork. Supporting characters are racially diverse. Stunning and essential. (author's and illustrator's notes, recipe)(Picture book. 5-9) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.