A CRACK IN THE WALL

Mama says that once she finds a job they'll move to a better place; meanwhile, in their seedy interim apartment, there's a large crack that scares Carlos, particularly when it's lit up by cars at night. Mama tries to soothe him, but in the end Carlos finds his own comfort: the crack needn't be a crawling thing; it can be a branch, with leaves Carlos crayons while waiting alone for Mama after school. Later, near Christmas, he decorates it with foil gum wrappers. The effect is disappointing; yet Mama, when she spies them—again, lit by headlights in the dark—sees beautiful stars, as Carlos had imagined. Haggerty's first is quietly telling; the transformed crack makes an effective symbol without overwhelming the warmly human story. De Anda's debut is less strong; in particular, he depicts Carlos as about ten, which seems too old. Still, he evokes the setting and mother-son relationship with sensitivity. Overall, nice. (Picture book. 4-8)