I WISH YOU KNEW

A father’s forced absence is keenly felt by a Latinx child.

Shortly after planting sunflower seeds for his daughter’s school, the father is deported. She wishes that her teacher knew how much life has changed for her family. The teacher, on the other hand, wishes her students were aware that “they / are not / alone.” The 100-year-old oak tree at the center of the school is the sharing place where all students can reveal their secrets. As they feel increasingly comfortable opening up about their home lives, they come together and plant sunflower seeds in hopes that the girl’s father will one day see them bloom. Kramer’s homage to the “I Wish My Teacher Knew” movement draws attention to the many hardships children experience at home while still trying to succeed in school. The examples given are particularly poignant. Mora’s soft, mixed-media illustrations reflect a diverse and dynamic classroom and sympathetically portray many of the challenges faced by children. Although it is presumed that the teacher is the initial focus of the titular statement, the shifting perspectives can make for awkward and murky transitions. Curiously, Kramer, who is half Puerto Rican, states in her author’s note that Puerto Ricans are U.S. residents rather than citizens. A Spanish-language edition publishes simultaneously. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-17-inch double-page spreads viewed at 14.8% of actual size.)

For success in school, the importance of empathy and compassion can’t be overstated.