Mama and Mommy and Me in The Middle Press Release

A little girl stays home with Mama when Mommy goes off on a work trip in this
tender, inviting story that will resonate with every child who has missed a parent.
Mama and Mommy and Me in the Middle

Nina LaCour illustrated by Kaylani Juanita
For one little girl, there’s no
place she’d rather be than sitting
between Mama and Mommy.
So when Mommy goes away
on a work trip, it’s tricky to find
a good place at the table. As
the days go by, Mama brings
her to the library, they watch
movies, and all of them talk on
the phone, but she still misses
Mommy as deep as the ocean
and as high as an astronaut up
in the stars. As they pass by a
beautiful garden, the girl gets
an idea . . . but when Mommy
finally comes home, it takes a
minute to shake off the empty
feeling she felt all week before
leaning in for a kiss. Michael
L. Printz Award winner Nina
LaCour thoughtfully renders a
familiar, touching story of a child
who misses a parent, illustrated
by Kaylani Juanita, whose
distinctive style brings charm
and playfulness to this delightful
On sale March 29, 2022 family of three.
HC: 978-1-5362-1151-1 • $17.99 ($23.99 CAN)
Ages 3–7 • 32 pages
Also available as an e-book
Nina LaCour is the award-winning author Kaylani Juanita is the illustrator of several
Photo by Kristyn Stroble
Photo by Justin Luke
of several books for young adults, including books for children, including the Stonewall
We Are Okay, which won the Michael L. Printz Book Award winner When Aidan Became
Award, and Hold Still, which was a William C. a Brother by Kyle Lukoff. She is also the
Morris Debut Award finalist and won the Northern California illustrator of Magnificent Homespun Brown by Samara Cole
Book Award. Nina LaCour lives in California with her wife and Doyon, A House for Every Bird by Megan Maynor, and The Little
daughter. Things: A Story About Acts of Kindness by Christian Trimmer.
Kaylani Juanita lives in California.
Illustrations © 2022 by Kaylani Juanita

A Note from Nina LaCour,
author of Mama and Mommy and Me in the Middle
When my daughter was three, I was offered a job teaching in a graduate program that allowed me to work from
home year-round—with an exception. Each January, I would travel to take part in a residency devoted to the study
of children’s literature. The trip would last ten days, during which my colleagues and I would lead workshops and
give lectures and get to know our students, and then we’d all say goodbye and fly back to where we came from. I
knew that being away would be difficult, but I wanted the job and trusted that it would get easier with time, so I
said yes.
I’m from the San Francisco area and have lived here all my life, so packing for
Saint Paul, Minnesota, in January was no easy task. But more pressing than
the question of heavy coats was the question of how to say goodbye to my
sweet kiddo for so long. How do you help a three-year-old understand what a
span of ten days will feel like? Or is it better not to? Should I make it sound
fun—like a novelty—or let her know how terribly I’d miss her? It was
uncharted territory. My wife told me about the fun plans she was making for
the two of them. Usually she was the one who traveled for work. It was a reversal of
our roles, and we both knew it would be good for everyone. We were navigating family life as two working
mothers. We were figuring it out.
Still, after they dropped me off, I sobbed at the airport.
As the days passed in Minnesota, I remembered what it was like to be a writer out in the world with other writers.
My favorite job perk was sitting in on my colleagues’ lectures. I’d published a few YA novels at that point, and
though I loved the idea of writing picture books, I had no clue where to begin. Still, I scrawled pages of notes on
the emotional life of the child and the interplay between text and art, hopeful that I’d find a story to tell. All the
while, I missed my wife and daughter terribly.
And one day, I realized that the story I wanted to write was already unfolding.
One thing I love about picture books is how honest they can be, and how beautifully
simple. Here is mine: I went away for my job. My wife took time off of hers. Our
daughter missed me sometimes, and had fun without me, and got her mama all
to herself. They played and snuggled and made big plans. And then I came
home, and we were all together again.
Kaylani Juanita’s gentle and vivid and joyful illustrations bring such tenderness
and whimsy and delight to the text. I couldn’t have dreamed up a more beautiful
visual language for it. I hope this book will help children who are missing
someone they love feel seen and understood. Thank you for reading it.
I’m wishing you the best,

Nina
Illustrations © 2022 by Kaylani Juanita

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A little girl stays home with Mama when Mommy goes off on a work trip in this

Mama and Mommy and Me in the Middle

Photo by Justin Luke

Illustrations © 2022 by Kaylani Juanita

Still, after they dropped me off, I sobbed at the airport.

I’m wishing you the best,

Illustrations © 2022 by Kaylani Juanita

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