Cousins!: A Big Family Story

In Cousins, it's time for the big family barbecue that happens at Grandma June’s house. The main character is excited because Grandma June’s house is big and lively, and best of all, the cousins are all there. Cousins highlight how sometimes cousins might not get along, but they can share things and enjoy hanging out and participating in various activities, such as playing baseball, and sharing late-night snacks.

What I Liked: The idea of a large family has always appealed to me, and this book only solidifies how much fun it would be. This book showcases the fun that cousins have with one another and the importance that they play in each other’s lives. It highlights the relationship between cousins and how strong this relationship is, even when they don’t get together as often as they would like. Each moment throughout the book is a new journey for the cousins, and they are thrilled to get to participate in these activities with one another.

The vibrant illustrations throughout this book bring to life the various scenes that the cousins in this book are imagining, such as them being on a boat when their octopus grandmother comes to interrupt their play. There are points throughout the book in which some words are written in bubble letters for emphasis, or there are speech bubbles to indicate characters talking. These visual cues and differences help to keep the attention of young children, as the changes in font will catch their attention and track their vision through the page, so they can follow the images.

Final Verdict: Cousins showcases how large families come together and celebrate their differences as well as how they are similar. Children ages 3 and up will enjoy the vibrant images showcasing all the activities that the cousins get up to during their time at Grandma June’s house. Adults will delight as they remember spending time with their cousins and the antics that they would get into together.