The Heart Never Forgets by Ana Ot (review)

Reviewed by: The Heart Never Forgets by Ana Ot Kate Quealy-Gainer, Editor Ot, Ana The Heart Never Forgets; illus. by Hayden Goodman. Atheneum, 2024 40p Trade ed. ISBN 9781665913058 18. 99 E-book ed. ISBN 9781665913065 10. 99 Reviewed from digital galleys R 4-7 yrs "The talking drums thump a sweet beat" in a little girl's village, heralding the beginning of the masquerade. This year's celebration is bittersweet, however, as it is the first one the little girl will experience without her beloved grandfather. There are reminders of him everywhere: his wooden beads that now clank around Mama's wrist; the crispy bean cake cooked just the way he liked; his walking stick clutched by her caring brother. The family shares stories of Grandpa while they wait for the musicians, and once the dance begins, the little girl shakes off her sadness and jumps in, joyfully honoring her grandfather as she remembers how they danced together. The girl's narration is direct, full of vivid depictions of the celebratory West African setting while still tending to the aching grief she feels over Grandpa's absence. Sensorial details place readers among the villagers, as "the rich smell of spicy stew tangles with the scent of corn and fried plantains" and urgent drums "DUM! DUM! DUM! DUM!" Earthy tones and stylized figures give the gouache art a sense of both whimsy and coziness, while geometric patterns meet with the whirling, twirling bodies of the masquerade; in a triumphant spread, the parade marches by with the little girl gazing upon in wonder. A note on Western African masquerade is included. Copyright © 2024 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois