Tío and Tío The ring bearers

In this chatty picture book based in real life, siblings Evan and Andy fly to Mexico with their parents for their tíos' wedding. The ring bearers are more concerned with whether they get to wear bear costumes than their role in the event, until they learn how important the job is--and that they'll have to appear in front of everyone. As the boys focus their energy into preparing for their aisle walk and keeping the rings safe, they also make a new friend, flower girl Drew. Inspired by their own wedding, García-Mathews and Mathews narrate the event's run-up in extended beat-by-beat prose ("The boys both felt relieved that they weren't the only kids with major responsibilities"). Doyle's digitally painted pencil illustrations likewise account for each moment of the familial adventure. The young protagonists have Dominican heritage; background characters are portrayed with a range of body types and skin tones. Includes a foreword from Drew Barrymore. A Spanish-language edition publishes simultaneously. Ages 4--8. (Apr.)

For their debut picture book, TV host Mathews--best known for appearing onThe Drew Barrymore Show--and his husband, educator García-Mathews, draw inspiration from their 2022 wedding. The flight from New York to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, is a long one, but Evan and little brother Andy need time to brace themselves for their roles as the ring bearers in the upcoming wedding of their Tío Welly and their new tío, Ross. After they land in Mexico, where the air feels "thick and humid and smell[s] like sweet flowers," Mami and Papi explain their wedding-day duties: The brothers will walk down the aisle to present the rings to their uncles…in front of everyone! After the boys find a safe place to store the rings, they dance the night away at the pre-wedding party. They meet their tíos' guests, including confident, pint-size flower girl Drew (a child version of Barrymore, who was the flower girl at the authors' actual ceremony and who penned the book's foreword). That night, bad dreams about the big day plague the brothers. Will Evan and Andy step up for their beloved tíos? The authors serve up pure comfort, combining coziness with low-stakes antics. Though the wordy narrative is a tad overwrought in spots, the focus on familia stands out in the end. Doyle's pencil-etched digital illustrations flash bright colors and smiling faces amid a tropical paradise. Mami and Tío Welly are Dominican, while Tío Ross reads white. Pure dulce. (photos from the authors' wedding)(Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.