When My Cousins Come to Town

The unnamed first-person narrator, a Black girl with round red spectacles, topknots, and braids, “can feel it in my pinky”: when her six cousins visit the city this summer, she’ll finally earn a nickname from them. As each cousin arrives, the protagonist attempts their specialty. From oldest cousin Lynn (nicknamed “Spice”), the narrator requests cooking lessons, which go awry. To emulate musical twins Shamyia and Eli (“Star” and “DJ-E”), she practices singing in the mirror, resulting only in the neighbors—represented by a variety of fists in varying skin tones—“bang[ing] on the wall to get me to stop.” The summer proceeds in this manner, culminating in a birthday reveal. Layered, collage-style art by Morris features rounded panels and centers warm relationships. Shanté aptly portrays the experiences of a young city denizen, peppering the family-centered tale with resonant cultural details. Ages 6–9. (May)