Do You Remember? by Sydney Smith

            Do You Remember? by Sydney Smith. Neal Porter Books/Holiday House, 2023. 9780823442621
Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 3
Format: Hardcover picture book
What did you like about the book? A mother and son are remembering things in their past: a picnic with Dad, the birthday when the boy received his first bike, a bad rainstorm when the lights went out and their move from the country to the city.
Illustrations created in gouache and watercolor with digital touch-ups.  The Do You Remember pages are very dark with only the silhouettes of mother and son depicted, the remainder of the memories are soft and dark, looking more like oil than watercolor.
Anything you did not like about the book? I’m not sure what is going on here: what happened to Dad?  Is that Dad waving goodbye as Mom and son drive away? The cat seen during the rainstorm – where did it go? What is the appeal for children?
To whom would you recommend this book? I’m not sure – perhaps as an opening for discussions about remembering…?
Who should buy this book? Public libraries
Where would you shelve it? Picture books
Should we (librarians) put this on the top of our “to read” piles?  No.
Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City: Katrina Yurenka, Retired Librarian, Contributor, Youth Services Book Review
Date of Review:  August 30, 2023