To paraphrase Kevin Henkes in Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, sometimes all you can say is "wow." That's how I feel about Before Morning.

Look at the intricacy and beauty of the scratchboard illustrations and the strength of the compositions.

Notice how carefully the book is constructed. Spreads with text are full-bleed double-spreads; spreads without text feature single pages, inside white borders. Also, notice where the text begins: after the child is asleep. This poem/invocation is clearly not in a child's voice; it is instead on behalf of the child, channeling her deep and urgent longing. (My theory is that the invocation is being spoken by the stone angel in the park, but that's entirely subjective. Though the three snow angels at the base of the statue on the last page does strengthen that theory!)

Notice that the art is both totally in sync with the text (in terms of representing the mood of the invocation and capturing the overnight transformation of a late blustery fall afternoon into a winter wonderland morning) AND completely independent of the text (in terms of the family story, which is not referred to in the invocation).

Let's revisit the Caldecott criteria:

1. In identifying a “distinguished American picture book for children,” defined as illustration, committee members need to consider:

a. Excellence of execution in the artistic technique employed;
b. Excellence of pictorial interpretation of story, theme, or concept;
c. Appropriateness of style of illustration to the story, theme or concept;
d. Delineation of plot, theme, characters, setting, mood or information through the pictures;
e. Excellence of presentation in recognition of a child audience.

For me this book knocks all five criteria out of the park. For d — the "delineation of plot, theme, characters, setting, mood or information through the pictures" — I think the operative word here is "mood." And I'm not sure there's another 2016 picture book that delineates mood so beautifully. For e — "excellence of presentation in recognition of a child audience" — I think the human story is aimed perfectly at a child audience. I think children will relate to the depth of feeling in the invocation and of course also to exactly what the child longs for: for her mother to be home; for her family to spend that ideal day that follows her fulfilled wish together; for sledding and cocoa and cupcakes. (It took me a few readings to see that it's not just the BIG wish for her mother's return that is fulfilled, but also the LITTLE wish to stop at the bakery — but I bet every kid reading this book notices!)

One more note about the portrayal of the family. The mother is a woman pilot; that's very cool. The other parent is either a stay-at-home, spectacular-cook dad or a second mom; either one is cool. As to their skin tone, it's a kind of peachy-brown...rather indefinable, and yet I don't "read" them as "white." Krommes has presented a family that's individualized and universal at the same time, opening a door for children in many types of families to identify with this story.

• Endpapers are spectacular: the same scene, pre- and post-transformation (shades of Virginia Lee Burton).


• The individualized snowflakes!


• The fun of orienting the family's apartment in the larger town, and following the snowplow through the streets.


• So many small, child-friendly details to follow throughout the book, including the family's cat and dog.

So, is this book on your Caldecott radar? How do you think it will fare under the Caldecott microscope?