When My Cousins Come to Town

An adorable book about being true to yourself and the joys of family, especially cousins.

The unnamed first-person narrator, a Black girl with round red spectacles, topknots, and braids, "can feel it in my pinky": when her six cousins visit the city this summer, she'll finally earn a nickname from them. As each cousin arrives, the protagonist attempts their specialty. From oldest cousin Lynn (nicknamed "Spice"), the narrator requests cooking lessons, which go awry. To emulate musical twins Shamyia and Eli ("Star" and "DJ-E"), she practices singing in the mirror, resulting only in the neighbors--represented by a variety of fists in varying skin tones--"bang on the wall to get me to stop." The summer proceeds in this manner, culminating in a birthday reveal. Layered, collage-style art by Morris features rounded panels and centers warm relationships. Shanté aptly portrays the experiences of a young city denizen, peppering the family-centered tale with resonant cultural details. Ages 6-9. (May)

Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

"This endearing picture book from Shanté (The Noisy Classroom, 2020) is a beautiful ode to Black families and the bond cousins have. . . Shanté's love letter to Black families and the typical relationship Black children have with their cousins is smartly complemented by Morris' bold, vivid illustrations of the cousins' summer antics, often from the main character's perspective. This story about wanting to feel included will be a storytime must!"— "Booklist"