Kono’s flowing acrylics swirl about this bright, abstract tribute to an old woman’s love for her little brown granddaughter, who thinks angels have made her wonderful grandmother the way she is: white hair, bowed back, slow step. Grandmother answers every query by agreeing and explaining that each sign of age is a loving gift to bless her granddaughter. Where the little girl questions the physical world around her, however, Grandmother spins a spiritual depth to their explorations together, at a level that will be only partially understood by young readers: “Will you taste the wild honey / and drink my lemonade? / Yes, my darling granddaughter. / I will taste the sweetness of your Spirit / and we will drink the lasting waters.” In the end, Grandmother gathers all the questions and extends the flame of a candle to her granddaughter, promising that “together... / We will set the world on fire,” an unarguably beautiful inspiration that needs a little tinkering and demystifying to work with its target audience. (Picture book. 3-5)
