Ten Days and Nine Nights

Heo, Yumi. 2009. Ten Days and Nine Nights. Random House.

Ten Days and Nine Nights is an adoption story. It's a sweet countdown of days (and nights) for the whole family as they await the newest member of the family to arrive. Our little heroine is a young girl. She and her father wait at home while her mother goes on a very special trip. Here's how it starts off, "I mark a circle on the calendar. I have ten days and nine nights. Daddy and I say goodbye to Mommy. I have nine days and eight nights." It continues on with everyone in the family joining in this special countdown celebration. One of my favorite scenes? Her practicing holding a baby (doll). The text reads, "I practice. I have six days and five nights."

But this isn't a one-sided story--though the text focuses on life back at home--the illustrations show the mother on her journey. The steps she is taking day by day.

There are so many things that I enjoyed about this one. It's sweet. It's satisfying. It's simple. It's refreshing.

I love the illustrations. They're just so right for this tale. (Which is only right since Yumi Heo is both the author and the illustrator.)

© Becky Laney of Young Readers