Coming On Home Soon

When her mother goes north to Chicago, drawn by the jobs that have opened up for women while America's men are off fighting in WWII, the young girl-narrator of this poignant, powerful picture-book waits for her first letter, and for the news that she'll be coming on home sometime soon. Admonished by her grandmother not to cry, the girl attempts to control her sense of loneliness and grief, comforted by a little kitten who comes crying for milk, one snowy day. Eventually, after much waiting on both the girl and her grandmother's part, that first letter does arrive...

Beautifully written and beautifully illustrated, Coming On Home Soon is another Jacqueline Woodson picture-book - like Each Kindness and The Other Side - that I found show more immensely moving. The text here is understated but powerful, capturing the uncertainty, fear and grief that young children feel, when their parents must leave them. The watercolor illustrations by E.B. Lewis, who also collaborated with Woodson on the two titles mentioned above, and which won him a Caldecott Honor, are luminous and likewise powerful. Recommended to anyone looking for children's stories about America on the home front during WWII, about African-American families dealing with hardship and separation, or about the bond between young children and grandmothers. show less

I would give Coming on Home Soon five out of five stars. Primarily, I enjoyed the subtle characterization Woodson conveys throughout the book. For example, Grandma is a characterized as a strong but kind-hearted beacon of support for the narrator. Woodson shows these traits through Grandma’s insistence that there is no need to cry, while also having “sad eyes.” This is also shown through Grandma’s insistence that they cannot keep a stray kitten, despite the fact that she continues to feed it and let it stay with them. Another aspect I enjoyed about the book is Woodson’s use of descriptive language. She uses similes such as “warm as ten quilts on my lap” to convey warmth and affection the kitten brings. Finally, I also show more enjoyed the illustrations in this book. The author uses water colors to create a sense of softness, that is both sad and warmly nostalgic at the same time. I’m not entirely sure what the “big idea” of this book is. It could be that affection and warmth from loved ones helps us during trying times. It could also be that, despite distance and time, a mother’s love can continue to be felt during her absence. The book is moving, while concise and subtle. I’m ecstatic about this author. show less

When Ada Ruth's mother leaves to pursue work in Chicago during the war, Ada Ruth and her grandmother miss her greatly back in their rural home. Grandma encourages Ada Ruth to keep writing letters to Mama to help with the missing. It still doesn't quite take the sadness away. A small kitten shows up at their doorstep and even though it seems Grandma is indifferent towards it, the kitten provides a way for them to direct their caring feelings somewhere while Mama is gone. Simple text portrays a stoic grandma of no wasted words. In the picture spread where Ada Ruth is petting the cat on the floor, you get the sense of the waiting, loneliness and longing for Mama.

Age Appropriateness (Primary, Intermediate, Middle School): Primary
Review/Critique: This was a really touching book about a young girl whose mom goes off to the big city to work because most of the men left to fight the war. The majority of the book is about the little girl waiting for her mom to come home. She has hope, but does not hear from her mom and gets anxious that something happened to her. The young girl and her grandmother live in poverty, but are rich in their love for each other. This book is realistic fiction. It is based on true life events but not based on historical events. The characters in the book are actually related to the author.
Comments on Use: I think this would be a great book to talk about the effects of the show more war. I think this book could also be used to talk about different family structure, and what it means to be raised other people than your parents.
Medium: watercolor show less

A wonderfully written story with a beautiful illustration about Ada Ruth, the girl who waited for the return of her mom. Ada’s mother left home to search for a job during the World War II. She went to Chicago because they were hiring colored women, “since all the men are off frightened in the war.” The illustration precisely matches the words to shows the sad emotions that the young girl was experiencing with her grandmother. The large water color pages accentuate the sense of wistful nostalgia that Ada and her grandmother were suffering every day. They were looking out the window waiting for the postman to bring any news from her mother, listening to the horrible news on the radio, and bringing in firewood to feel warm. One day, show more the postman finally stopped at Mas’s home with a litter that she longingly had been waiting for. When they opened the letter, they found the first line is “ Tell Ada Ruth I’ll be coming soon.” In the final page, there are no words. Just a picture of a woman's back with her bag approaching a home. What a beautiful end! Reading as a heartfelt story as this will absolutely touch my students. show less

This exquistely told and painted book tells of a fairly unknown time in American history: homelife in an African-American community during WWII. Ada Rose's mother has gone to Chicago to earn money during the war, and Ada Rose is left at home with her grandmother and a new found stray cat. Illustrations for this book are done in muted and dark watercolors, and bring a sense of depth and heaviness to a story about the loneliness of a little girl's heart. Woodson's words are moving in their sparseness and simplicity, as Ada Rose's grandmother trys to hold everything together while also worrying herself. Based in a time when the word 'colored' was the norm, this book evokes not only feelings of pain for a lonely girl but also grief and show more wonderment at a time of history when a black woman getting a well-paid job was a novelty. With strong female characters, a focus on family, and an introduction to a unique part of WWII history, this book would be a great addition to a literary discussion or selection regarding African-American or WWII history. show less

Ada Ruth is waiting for her mother to come home after leaving to Chicago to look for work. Setting details are enough to make a good guess about the time and place, but not so overt as to make it feel like an historical fiction. The pictures, made in soft watercolors, beautifully illustrate the story, adding much to the emotion. A dark and muted color palette allows one to feel the sorrow Ada Ruth experiences looking out the window, missing her mother, the disappointment when the mail comes without a letter from her. The kitten is a lovely detail, allowing for a metaphor easily accessible to children and a comfort to those who empathize too well with Ada Ruth—for example, when the girl watches the snow and thinks sadly of her mother, show more she is shown holding the kitten close and described as petting it. The final image goes beyond the text, showing the mother’s return when the words do not describe it overtly—because this is such an emotional moment, perhaps this is how it should be, with Ada Ruth literally overjoyed beyond words. show less