A toddler with a patient father spins a seemingly endless game out of a single request in the joyous slice-of-life picture book Hold, written by Printz Award and Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature-winner Randy Ribay (Everything We Never Had) and illustrated by Pura Belpré Illustration Honor-winner Zeke Peña (My Papi Has a Motorcycle).
A gap-toothed child in a bright green raincoat becomes captivated when long-haired, goateed Daddy hands them a cup and says "Hold, please" while attempting to pack for an outing. The child begins to delightedly wield the word "hold" to request a growing pile of items including toys and the family cat. A tolerant and only slightly exasperated Daddy complies, even when requests to hold a tree and rain lead to an impromptu playtime in the yard, further stalling departure. A cry of "Hold plane!" sends the pair back inside to retrieve a toy plane, which requires restacking the entire armful of held items. "¿Listo?" Daddy asks. "Hold Daddy?" the toddler inquires, running in for a heartfelt hug. Finally, the two can depart on their errand, the child held close in Daddy's arms. A final double-page spread shows Daddy's hand reaching back inside the door to grab the keys off the side table, suggesting a parent well-practiced in the art of getting out the door.
Peña's lovably square-headed, chunky-fingered, round-eyed characters evoke movement and strong expression while his colored pencil and digital illustrations bring texture, humor, and life to Ribay's slight text. Hold depicts a charming outing that meets toddlers at their experience level and simultaneously captures life as a parent. --Jaclyn Fulwood, youth services manager, Allen County Public Library