Mommy’s Hometown. illus. by ­Jaime Kim

K-Gr 2–A young boy listens as his mother tells him about her hometown when she was growing up: “She said an old river weaved through her village like a long thread. It sparkled in the morning and shimmered at dusk.” The young boy is excited to finally get to travel by train to see this wonderful place that he’s only heard about. Upon arrival, he’s surprised to see that the village is now a giant city with tall skyscrapers and people bustling everywhere. His mother tells him that things have changed over the years, but that some things have stayed the same. The pair finds the family house standing on the corner with they boy’s grandma excitedly waiting for them. As they venture around the city, they come to the river and decide to wade in, just like the mother did as a young girl. Cherubic characters are adorably set in full-color backgrounds on the majority of the pages. Illustrations are digital and all characters are Asian. This picture book lends itself nicely to compare and contrast, then and now, as well as talking about what happens to the landscape when concrete and buildings take over.