Yaya and the Sea by Karen Good Marable (review)

Reviewed by: Yaya and the Sea by Karen Good Marable Kate Quealy-Gainer, Editor Marable, Karen Good Yaya and the Sea; illus. by Tonya Engel. Millner/Simon, 2024 [40p] Trade ed. ISBN 9781534462014 $18.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9781534462021 $10.99 Reviewed from digital galleys Ad 4-7 yrs Our narrator Yaya wakes up on the first day of spring, excited that she and her mother will be going to the sea. They pack bags, grab coffee and sandwiches from the bodega, and jump on the subway to meet Mommy's three friends and head out of the city to the beach. But today is no ordinary day to enjoy the sand and the sea: Mommy and Aunties have packed special clothes and various gifts, all to honor Mama Ocean. Flowers, watermelon, molasses, and Yaya's shiniest dimes will all be offered up as the women stand in the water, whispering prayers of gratitude. After drying off and slipping into their all-white clothes, the group heads home, "leaving the past behind," Mommy tells Yaya. An author's note elaborates on the idea of rituals, and details how this particular one was not formally drawn from any religion or custom but rather created by Marable and her friends, based upon a book called Jambalaya. Yaya's joyful narration captures both her curiosity and awe, and while she may not know all the details of what she is witnessing, she nonetheless understands that she is now privy to something sacred. Acrylic and oil art washes each spread with color and motion, saturating the pages edge to edge and evoking vibrancy and warmth that viewers will practically feel. Unfortunately, the environmental issue of leaving objects in the ocean is never addressed, and it seems strange that part of honoring the sea is also polluting it. This will be a hard sell to kids who have been raised (rightly so) on the evils of littering, but an adult-guided discussion might inspire thoughts on how to better connect tradition with caretaking of the natural world.