Valarie Smith, my sister, is the artist who created the wonderful images throughout this book. We have done much together: from playing as youngsters in the Boston neighborhood of Jamaica Plain, our childhood home; to vacationing summers on Martha's Vineyard as adults; to standing by our mother's side as she took her last breath. Our collaboration in creating this book - my verse, her drawings - makes me see two young girls walking hand in hand, kicking up colorful leaves on a blissful walk home from school.