Home Base: A Mother-Daughter Story by Nikki Tate (review)

A bird sings, coffee brews, the cat stretches, and a wild-haired and bleary-eyed mother and daughter get ready to face the day—not just any day, but one that will lead each to a particular new challenge. Six panels and four words condense their exchange in the car: “Nervous?” “A little. You?” “Yes.” The next spread shows why: the girl is trying out for the baseball team, while her mom is going over a blueprint with a client who wants her to build a patio in his yard. “Ball. Bat. Base” comprise the girl’s gear, while “String line. Chalk. Mallet. Trowel” are her mom’s tools. It’s a long day in the hot sun, followed by “Homework. Chores. . . . Bills. Dinner,” but after encouraging phone calls that evening, they’re at it again the next day. Two successes! “Ice cream?” “We deserve it.” The spare narration perfectly complements Kath’s rhythmic watercolor panels, and the independence and mutual support between tattooed mom with her shaved and curly blond hair, and bronze-skinned, long-haired daughter shines through every scene. Kids who gravitate toward Bob Graham’s picture books, with their tight-knit, gently norm-tweaking families, will feel right at home.