FICTION

When My Cousins Come to Town

by Angela Shanté (text) & illus. by Keisha Morris
West Margin Pr. May 2021. 32p. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781513267227.
COPY ISBN
K-Gr 3–A bespectacled Black girl with dark hair narrates how her cousins have nicknames based on their strengths. She recounts story after story of their feats and talent, and how she alone does not have a nickname. The author gives readers a unique look into extended family relationships beyond siblings and parents. It’s long, repetitive, and text heavy, conveying the message that talent is not always apparent but will emerge under certain circumstances. A good story to share when discussing different family units, this will keep children guessing at story hours.
VERDICT A rite-of-passage story that honors and amplifies the importance of extended families.
Reviewed by Ruth Guerrier-Pierre, New York P.L , Aug 01, 2021

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