Summer is for Cousins by Rajani LaRocca

Abstract

Reviewed by: Summer is for Cousins by Rajani LaRocca Natalie Berglind LaRocca, Rajani Summer is for Cousins; illus. by Abhi Alwar. Abrams, 2023 [40p] Trade ed. ISBN 9781419757334 $17.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9781647004330 $15.54 Reviewed from digital galleys R 4-8 yrs Ravi loves summers with his extended family: they rent a summer house by the ocean, play on the beach, do puzzles together, and end every day with ice cream. While some things are the same this year, Ravi's oldest cousin, Dhruv, has grown [End Page 294] since last summer, and Ravi wonders if he's different in other ways, too—do they still have the same favorite ice cream flavor? The summer fun continues with hiking, mini golf, and drive-in movies, and Ravi grows more comfortable with Dhruv, realizing his cousin is the pal he has always known. When Ravi is put in charge of dessert one night, he knows just what to make: banana ice cream, his and Dhruv's favorite flavor. Alwar's art captures the joy and action that come often with summer fun, as figures splash in the water or run in the sand with wriggly limbs, wide mouths, and expressive eyebrows. Though the art is digital and utilizes watercolor textures, it resembles chalk, rendering the skies in beautiful sunset gradients and adding vibrancy in shades of blue, purple, and yellow to the backdrops of trees and water. This picture book ode to childhood summers and the important connections one makes in big families is so inviting and joyful that adults should be prepared to book an ocean-side vacation after reading it to their young ones. Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois