COUSINS!

It’s never quiet when family is around!

It’s time for a visit to Grandma June’s house to see…the COUSINS! The protagonist, a tan-skinned child who sports a pink bow, can’t wait to hang out with the rest of the family at their reunion. After all kinds of hugs (“cuddly,” “smooshy,” and “dangly”), the cousins get down to serious play—a sparkly, magic-filled fashion show, followed by an action-packed baseball game that ends with a sudden rain shower. Later, the family enjoys a feast including desserts tasty enough for two cousins to fight over—a conflict that’s speedily resolved. This intergenerational gathering depicts individuals who vary in skin color and expression and who take part in many different interactions, details that invite repeat readings. Afterward, the cousins unveil their secret plan to ask Grandma June if they can have a sleepover so the fun won’t end too soon. Curled up in their sleeping bags, the cousins—and friends—tell secrets late into the night as they make lasting memories together. Lavoie’s boisterous, comic book–style dialogue injects energy and hyperbole into this tale of a close-knit family; young readers will feel part of every over-the-top moment. Leal’s vivacious, digitally created illustrations add layers of humor through a vibrant palette that uses every color of the rainbow on each page and the big, round eyes common in manga to evoke extreme emotions.

A big, bustling portrait of cousin love.