My Big, Busy Barefoot Book of Words

PreS-Gr 2—Fashioned in word-book style, this loosely constructed "story" follows a busy Palabra family, including their pets Crunchy the crocodile and Zanzibar the cat. On colorful spreads, readers view the family members' various interactions from sunrise to sunset. For example, the book opens with "It's morning time at our house. The birds are chirping. Wake up, everyone!" The illustration is a cross-section of the house, introducing the characters and showing everyone waking up, getting dressed, and getting ready for the day. Vocabulary words are incorporated into the art and provide details of their house—kitchen, back door, porch light. Trips to the garden, market, library, and more are included along with more open-ended, direct address spreads that ask readers to decide, "What would you like to wear today?" and choose from clothing options such as salwar kameez, dashiki, kimono, or pink party dress. Another spread states, "Sam wants to be a baker. What do you want to do when you grow up?" Although inclusive of many cultures, this diverse word book lacks a glossary or back matter to assist readers with items they might not be familiar with, like a dream catcher, sari, or solar panels. An additional purchase.—Melissa Smith, Royal Oak Public Library, MI