First published 1983
A young narrator moves through the ordinary moments that fill a day. Some experiences bring happiness. Others deliver disappointment or pain. Still others leave the child feeling dismayed or uncertain about what comes next. The child examines each feeling as it arrives, comparing one moment to the next. Joy competes with sadness. Hope battles against worry. Through this internal weighing, the narrator discovers something important about time itself. The past has already happened. The future remains unknown. Only this single moment offers something real to hold onto. The child learns that whatever is happening now matters more than any memory or dream.
Genres: fiction, contemporary, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: internal-conflict, slice-of-life
28 pages · Hardcover · Knopf Books for Young Readers