Gr 2-5 Brightly colored folk art with a Caribbean flair offsets the sadness of a little girl whose Haitian mother has been sent away to a prison for undocumented immigrants. Every night, Saya's father writes letters to the judges, their mayor and congresswoman, and newspapers and television stations, but no one ever writes back. During their weekly visits to the detention center, Saya's mother tells her stories of the wosiyòl , or nightingale. Soon, Saya begins to receive cassette tapes in the mail from her mother and finds hope and solace in the stories Mama has recorded for her. One night, amid a great deal of sadness and frustration, Saya writes a story of her own to ease the sadness. When Papa sends her letter to a newspaper reporter, everything changes, and Saya learns the incredible power of words and stories. Danticat, who was born in Haiti, was separated from her parents until she was 12 years old and beautifully conveys a story about loss and grief and hope and joy. Staub's oil paintings are eye-catching and will hold the interest of young readers. VERDICT This richly illustrated picture book is a first purchase, especially in communities with a large immigrant population. Jennifer Steib Simmons, Anderson County Library, SC

Danticat's immigration story is compelling. Saya's mother is in a detention center because she doesn't have the right "papers," and while Saya can visit her, she wants Mama HOME. Papa's letters to elected officials and news outlets get no response, but when Saya writes to the paper, amazing things happen. At times the long text seems weighty on the page (though words are minimal when good things happen). But Staub's illustrations are light, especially when Saya hears her mother's voice fly across the pages, as swirls of words and magical images come from the stories Mama has made up and taped. Many of the tales refer to a nightingale, and birds are a constant presence. Bright, comforting blues dominate the double-page spreads, and Mama floats above her worldly problems. The inclusion of Haitian phrases adds to the personal nature of the story, whose happy ending is deserved by all. Danticat's endnotes remind us that this is a story based in reality.