Langrand, Jocelyn. If You Miss Me. Jocelyn Li Langrand, Illus. Picture Book. Scholastic/Orchard, 09/2021. [36]pp. $18.99. 978-1-338-68069-0. HIGH ADDITIONAL. GRADES PRE-2.
A little girl’s family is moving, and she is afraid she will miss her grandmother, so Grandma tells the girl to look at the moon and know that Grandmother is looking at the same moon and thinking of her. After Grandmother dies, the little girl uses that trick to understand that her grandmother is still looking out for her. Without being maudlin or
sentimental, this story will help children who are coping with the death of a grandparent. The story is well-paced, not rushing things but establishing their bond as well as the little girl’s challenges after Grandmother’s death. The full-color, digitally created illustrations resemble gouache paintings, showing the girl, grandmother, and mother as Asian and the father as white.
Penny Peck, San Jose State University iSchool