My cousins, my world by Sharara Attai & Michelle Pereira

A celebration of just how close the world’s people are is shown in this joy-full, colourful book exploring the links between all of us. Cousins can be quiet or loud, dark or fair, young or old, they can live nearby or far away. No matter where they live or how far away, when they get together, they have a wonderful time. Sometimes they go to the beach, sometimes they go camping, and sometimes seen singing or dancing. On birthdays some cousins can be there in person, at other times they can be there via the internet.

When visiting Abdul, the cousins eat kibbeh, while at Kimmy’s house they eat sushi, when more of the family come together for a celebration, they all eat a variety of things, sing and dance, watching the grown-ups drinking tea and exchanging stories.

Some cousins speak different languages, some cousins cannot visit for a long time, or are separated by a different time zone.  But when they all meet again, it is as if nothing has changed, and the friendship is picked up again. Cousins are the first friends, the best friends, the friends that last a lifetime. 

What a wonderfully joyous book to read with a class where family and relationships are being discussed. Children will love seeing the world wide spread of cousins, reflecting on their own cousins and relationships with their wider families. Boisterous, generous illustrations cover each page, reinforcing the idea of a world of cousins, with their differences shown; food, housing and costumes, which children will love to spot. Wherever they live, they are still cousins, a link which will last a lifetime.

Themes: Cousins, Relationships, Family, Humour.

Fran Knight