Jerome’s mother is a Navy sailor who comes home every night when her ship is in port, spending her time baking cookies, reading books, and walking the dog with Jerome. But when her ship goes to sea, Jerome, his dad, and their dog Duffy must learn to cope without her. With a little help from his teacher, Jerome realizes that he’s been following his mom’s instructions to be brave the whole time she was away. “I went to school and took care of Duffy and helped Dad—even though I was a litt mle bit afraid the whole time, a little bit afraid about Mom out there on her ship so far from home.”

This touching story is superbly told from the child’s point of view, with language that sounds remarkably the way children think and speak. The realistic watercolor illustrations with their gentle reminders of the nautical theme are an excellent touch.

Whether a parent is deployed, needs to travel a lot for business, or is employed after being home for a significant amount of time, this book is a perfect companion for opening up a conversation with children about why parents need to work and what children can do while their parents are away.

I reviewed this book for EconKids. See the full review here: http://econkids.rutgers.edu/new-picture-books-in-2010-first-word-q-z/1952-someti... ( )