Balloon

PreS-K–A young child and a balloon is a pairing that is both an age-old delight and opportunity for sheer agony. A Black child is thrilled to have been given an orange balloon by his mother as they walk through the park. He utters the only word repeated throughout with utter joy: Balloon! Tragedy strikes as a flock of pigeons startle the boy and the balloon escapes his grip. As they make their way through the park, the boy thinks he spies the balloon several times; but in reality, he sees round, or seemingly round, orange objects, such as a frisbee and a motorcycle helmet. The orange objects appear partially obscured on one page and are then revealed after the page turn. After mistaking multiple objects for his balloon, they leave the park and come upon one final glimpse of something round and orange. It turns out to be the rounded back of a small kitten at an animal adoption event, and the young child promptly chooses the cat and names it ­Balloon. The illustrations, rendered in pen and ink with digital color, focus on the action through the busy park and streets of New York City while maintaining an emotional tone of loss. The final spread shows a satisfied boy and kitten asleep in bed with moonlight ­illuminating the newly bonded pair.