Not ‘Til Tomorrow, Phoebe

Phoebe wakes up one morning and is ready to have some fun. She wants to make pancakes, but her mother says, “I said we could make pancakes on Friday morning. That’s not ‘til tomorrow.” To Phoebe’s dismay, this adult refrain of “not ‘til tomorrow” ends up defining her entire day. She discovers that she has to wait until tomorrow for a haircut, for ice cream, and for a music party at school. This waiting game makes Phoebe exceedingly grumpy, and, when she arrives at her grammy’s house after school, she breaks down in tears. Luckily, Grammy shares a simple recipe with a secret ingredient to assuage Phoebe’s sadness: “You take tomorrow and add a good night’s sleep to it. When you wake up, it’s a today.”

Like many children, Phoebe struggles with the concept of waiting, and she expresses her impatience and frustration in ways all too familiar to readers both young and old. Caregivers and teachers will surely use this book as a conversation starter when discussing patience and the concept of time.

While Holmes’ illustrations are muted and simple, they showcase children of diverse ethnicities and abilities, making the book’s visual landscape both welcoming and inclusive. Young readers will relate to Phoebe and will come away from this book understanding that tomorrow is something to look forward to, not to begrudge.

Not ‘Til Tomorrow, Phoebe is a recommended addition to all library collections.