Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
"Tell me your stories, sing me your songs./ Life has more flavor since you came along." Donovan and Cho celebrate cultural diversity with this tribute to unity, which explores the different ways people around the world say "welcome." Including salutations in Lakota Sioux, Gaelic, Hindi, Indonesian, Urdu, and many others, the lyrical text emphasizes meeting friends, family, and strangers alike with kindness and generosity. Cho's watercolor and colored pencil artwork features bright paintings of people of varying abilities, ages, cultures, religions, and skin tones, greeting each other and sharing food. The warm, friendly scenes range from a blonde, light-skinned child beckoning from an inviting sukkah to a Shiba Inu and East Asian--cued family waving atop the balcony of a small house in urban Japan. This openhearted picture book comes to a satisfying close with a blessing and a jubilant spread of the book's many international families dining together at a page-filling banquet table. Author's and illustrator's notes, a note about pronunciation, selected sources, and further reading are also included. Ages 4--8. (Oct.)
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Review by Horn Book Review
The simple act of welcoming friends and neighbors takes the spotlight in this heartening picture book. Donovan's feather-light rhyming couplets trail over and through each watercolor and colored-pencil illustration, her words ("Dear neighbor, come in. // No stranger dwells here; I greet you as kin") a gentle incantation. Cho's vibrant illustrations -- most featuring delicious-looking family meals that span countries and cultures -- alternate perspectives playfully; one image, for example, closes in on a crowded family table, and the next pans out to a double-page spread showing backlit windows in a sunset skyline. Inviting scenes are peppered with hand-lettered welcomes in different languages along with a pronunciation guide. Source notes and further reading suggestions make this an informative, inviting read. (c) Copyright 2023. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
With so much distrust, anger, and hate in the air, a genuine expression of welcome is just the balm we so desperately need. Whether offered in English or Urdu, Japanese or Lakota Sioux, the sentiment opens doors to friendships unimagined. Shared among family, friends, or strangers around a table of food, no matter how humble, the sense of welcome can build more bridges than political edicts. From celebrating Sukkot to offering shelter from a storm, smiles and greetings level many barriers. "May the road rise to meet you, / and walls fall away." Donovan's gentle, multilingual poem, although bumpy at times ("Ahlan wa sahlan. // Bienvenida. // Huānyíng. / I greet you in sunshine / or by light of the moon"), whispers a call to the souls of those in want of comfort. The belief that each of us matters, regardless of religion, nationality, or race, comes through with sincerity. "Tell me your stories, / sing me your songs. / Life has more flavor / since you came along." Cho's warm watercolor portrayals of myriad faces from different cultures meld seamlessly with the text, depicting welcoming households all over the globe. The diversity of ages and family configurations adds to the affirmation of life and good cheer. The concluding guide to languages included, including pronunciation and number of speakers, enriches this multicultural experience. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Céad mile fáilte to this heartfelt message of inclusivity and compassion. (introduction, author's note, artist's note, sources, bibliography) (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
