As evocative and mysterious as a traditional fairy tale, Today, Maybe is an unusual picture book with strong emotional impact. Sheila Fischman’s able translation of Dominque Demers and Gabrielle Grimard’s Aujourd’hui, peut-être… leaves subtle echoes of the French original that add to the magical atmosphere.

Throughout the book there are many echoes, too, of older fairy tales and fantasies: the main character is a little girl who, like Peter Pan, has decided to stop growing and who lives on the edge of a vast forest with her bird (reminiscent of Peter’s companion Tinker Bell). She knows she is waiting for someone, and the book is about her daily anticipation of his arrival; she just doesn’t know who he may be.

Visitors drop in from other fairy tales, and the little girl handles them with great presence of mind and courage. These include three ferocious thieves who are satisfied with a jar of jam (because her only treasures are books, and they don’t know how to read); an alarming wolf whom she tells a story that fills his lupine heart with dreams; a young prince who would very much like to marry her; and a mean witch who is dispatched by another story. Eventually the longed-for someone arrives, and the young reader will feel as satisfied as the little girl by the surprising conclusion.

The mood of Demers’s poetic story is beautifully matched by Grimard’s images, with their rich colours, exquisite and sometimes quirky details (such as the tall pointed hat worn by the bird), and varied perspectives. Sensitive children may be frightened by vivid pictures of the thieves, wolf, and witch. Just as in the traditional tales, this fantasy involves some danger and fear, but in this case, all turns out well in the end.