Ma Dear's Aprons — Patricia C. McKissack / Pat McKissack

Newbery Honor author Patricia McKissack and Coretta Scott King Awardâ€"winning illustrator Floyd Cooper lovingly recreate a slice of turn-of-the-century Southern life for a single black mother and her son in this sweet picture book.

Little David Earl always knows what day of the week it is. He can tell by the clean, snappy-fresh apron Ma Dear is wearing, a different color for every day.

Monday means washing, with Ma Dear scrubbing at her tub in a blue apron. Tuesday is ironing, in a sunshine yellow apron that brightens Ma's spirits. And so it goes until Sunday, when Ma Dear doesn't have to wear an apron and they can set aside some special no-work time, just for themselves.