Grimes, Nikki. A Walk in the Woods. Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney and Brian Pinkney. Neal Porter Books, 2023. 978-0-823-44965-1 $18.99. Unpaged. Grades K-3.

One week after the death of his father, a young Black boy opens up an envelope his dad left behind to find a map of the nearby woods marked with a bright red X. The two of them used to walk in the woods together, but now that his dad is gone, the boy does not want to embark on an adventure without him. However, his curiosity gets the better of him, and he sets out to find the X that marks the spot. Along the way, he meets creatures like a garter snake and an eagle. The trees, with their familiar rustle in the breeze, comfort him along the walk. When he finds the spot marked on the map, he discovers a rusty metal box. Inside are several drawings of nature with unfinished stories underneath. His father created these drawings and stories when he was the boy’s age. Also included in the box is a note that encourages the boy to draw and write his own stories. Discovering this treasure lets the boy know his father will always be looking out for him from above.

THOUGHTS: This moving story actually rang true for illustrator Brian Pinkney who fused his late father’s sketches with his own watercolor paintings to create the beautiful images accompanying this story. This is a touching story about grief and holding onto the memories that keep a person alive in the hearts of all who knew them.

Picture Book