Forever and Always

A beautiful, touching book with gorgeous illustrations. Highly recommend for any family!

This book shows a loving daughter and father. The dad has to go to work everyday (maybe an EMT? He is wearing a uniform) but the daughter and mother are a bit worried that he might not make it home because it's dangerous out there. The main character finds a variety of ways to ease her anxiety. An author's note at the end of the book talks about ways that kids can ease their anxieties if they too worry about a parent's safety at work.

"Forever and Always" is a gorgeously written and illustrated picture book about the emotions that Olivia experiences when with her father is away at work. The book begins as Daddy, who works in public service, returns home after a long day. Olivia "soaks up his hug" and together, with Momma, they begin an evening of family routine, filled with closeness and love and comfort. But when Daddy prepares to leave the next morning, worries rise in Olivia's head and heart, especially when the news on Momma's phone reverberates with the story of a man who looks like Daddy, and sounds like Daddy, and doesn't make it home. In feeling and sharing her emotions, and finding solace in creating something new, Olivia finds peace through the long day, which brings Daddy back to her. Heartfelt, sincere and soothing, "Forever and Always" is a beautiful tale that will resonate with families searching for hope and a positive intention when fear overwhelms.

Olivia's daddy is an EMT working long hours to care for his family and others. In the morning, as Olivia sends him off with a giant hug, he remembers to say, "I'll be back before you can miss me." But, naturally, Olivia and her mom do - the space between morning and evening stretches "as wide as the space between the moon and the earth. Forever and ever and ever."As the day grows long, Olivia's worries grow, too. How long till Daddy gets home? That's when Olivia decides to braid a bracelet to remind Daddy of the meaningful times they've shared.In the evening, when the family is safely reunited, Olivia wraps the bracelet around Daddy's wrist - "To keep you careful, and safe. To protect you always."In an author's note, Thurman shares that her Gran-Gran often repeats the saying, "It's a blessing to safely return home." The truth of this is made all the more poignant given the reality that, for those who are Black, the assurance that they *will* return home to loved ones is not guaranteed.FOREVER and ALWAYS is a tender and important story of the love between a parent and child, sure to soothe young ones facing similar fears amid the harsh realities of an unjust world.

A genuine and stirring book about a girl's (Olivia) worries and anxieties as her first responder Dad leaves for work and she wonders if he'll make it home safely. Her fears are not unfounded--she's all too aware that sometimes Daddies do not come home. We follow along as Olivia and her mother find ways to soothe their minds and hearts as they wait for everything to be okay.FOREVER AND ALWAYS is a loving, empathetic look at the harsh reality Black families face as they grapple with the truth that (as backmatter details and reminds us) George Floyd was a father, Breonna Stewart was a daughter, and Trayvon Martin was a son and their lives were taken unjustly and much too soon.Knight-Justice's illustrations are warm and soothing, providing a safe canvas as readers engage with Olivia's difficult feelings and concerns.

A moving book about the anxiety experienced by Olivia, a young Black girl, and her mother as they await the arrival of Olivia's father coming home from work each night. Thurman explains in her author's note that "It's a blessing to safely return home", because George Floyd, Trayvon Martin, Breonna Taylor, and many others, have lost their lives and have not been able to see their families again. A poignant story about the tragedy of lost Black lives in America and the reality faced by Black families. You won't soon forget this powerful story.

A story that on first read appears to be about the love and connection between daughter and father, has a deeper poignant meaning for a black family that must find ways to manage the worry while waiting for dad, a first responder to return home. The author note is a must read, a powerful message that will fully inform the need for this book and the conversations we can have to tackle these social challenges together. A carefully crafted book that speaks from the heart.

Olivia's daddy is an EMT and is often gone for long shifts, leaving Olivia to worry. This tender exploration of a father and daughter's bond, and the ways she learns to cope when he is away, is really beautifully written and illustrated. The author's note is particularly poignant and allows us to potentially view this story and Olivia's fear with a different lens. The illustrations are bright and full of movement, with beautiful prints in many of the backgrounds.