I Meant to Tell You

From Publishers Weekly Allegedly the last of Stevenson's (When I Was Nine; Don't You Know There's a War On?) autobiographical picture books, this is perhaps his most intimate and nostalgic, and, as such, may be primarily of interest to his adult fans. The second-person narrative, addressed to a grown-up daughter, is a free-flowing stream of memories of "your" childhood: walking on the beach during a warm rain, driving home with a newly acquired puppy in a shoebox, pretending that a piece of birchbark held a letter from the Indians, picking tomatoes in the garden and selecting the perfect pumpkin on Halloween. Like the text, Stevenson's inimitable, small-scale watercolor art is minimalist yet expressive. The simplest strokes create fuzzy, pastel images that reinforce the affection in his words. Kids, however, may need more of a story line and may be less vulnerable than their parents to the wistful, touching tones of the conclusion: "It was a while ago.... But I remember you when you were small and all the things we did together. I meant to tell you that." Ages 5-up. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. From School Library Journal K Up?Another of Stevenson's picture-book reminiscences, this title is a tender tribute to the simple things the author enjoyed doing with his daughter when she was small. His recollections include teaching her to swim, choosing a pumpkin, collecting things, going to the zoo?all activities any parent and child might do together, each perfectly sketched in a line or two. With childlike watercolors that exactly fit the brief text, this book is a wonderful read-aloud for story times on families.?Judith Constantinides, East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LACopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.