On an ordinary street in an ordinary neighborhood, two extraordinary events are about to take place. Two cars pull up in front of two houses. In one car is a veterinarian; in the other, an obstetrician or midwife. Inside the houses, lives change as one family says good-bye to a beloved dog and the other welcomes a new baby. Outside, neighbors go about their daily lives. Superb, expertly paced writing reveals minimal details, allowing muted illustrations to fill in the story and readers to infer events and emotions. Despite its old-fashioned look, the neighborhood is refreshingly multicultural: one family is African American, the other multiracial and queer; the visitors to the houses are Black and Asian American. Steering clear of sentimentality, this quiet story carries readers through a range of big emotions. (Ages 4-8)

An ordinary day in an ordinary neighborhood turns out to be quite extraordinary in this moving story about the circle of life.

It’s an average day in the neighborhood—children play, roses are watered, and a crow watches over it all. But then two visitors arrive at two houses, one to help a family say hello to a new baby and one to help a family say goodbye to a beloved pet. This sensitive picture book takes a gentle look at life, death, the bonds of family, and the extraordinary moments that make ordinary days so special.