Antoinette Portis’s Wait contains two words (okay, three, but for my purposes, let’s say two): “Hurry!” and “Wait.” A mother is rushing to get to the train on time, but her son is much more interested in the world they’re passing than punctuality. He wants to pet the dog, and watch the construction and help feed the ducks, and look at the tropical fish in the window.
But of course, mom finally relents when her son points out a double rainbow. “Yes, wait,” she says (there’s the third word).
Portis has illustrated the book in a flat style, with thick charcoal outlines and lots of color—bold eye-catching, especially for young readers. Readers will be able to anticipate each new “wait” request because of details in the illustrations. I love how much well it portrays a fundamental difference between adults and children. It reminds me of a street photographer describing how children notice everything. He can stand and take pictures of people walking by in New York City, and the adults often walk by without acknowledging him—whether they’re too busy to stop, don’t notice or don’t care. Children, on the other hand, always notice and always look. Children haven’t lost their sense of wonder at the world. And I think this book reminds us of that and how much there is around us that’s worth noticing.
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