No Matter What . . . We All Belong

Praise

Smiles and clear skies abound in this bright board book jubilee of belonging. As children with varying abilities and skin tones play together, upbeat rhymes from Davies communicate a straightforward message of unity: “No matter what the music,/ no matter what our name,/ no matter what our language…/ our smiles are all the same!” In Martín’s friendly, unlined art, inclusive scenes spotlight a game of dress-up in which a brown-skinned child, who wears a bindi and a hearing aid, dives into a costume chest, while a pale-skinned youth layers bunny ears over a hijab. Later, an individual using a prosthetic leg and another wearing a kippah observe fireworks bursting over a skyline that includes the silhouettes of what seem to be a cathedral, mosque, and pagoda, among others. Peek-a-boo die cuts provide visual depth and offer glimpses of a glittery concluding touch-and-feel rainbow—a tangible symbol of the inclusivity celebrated throughout. Ages 2–5. –Publishers Weekly


STARRED.PreS-K–Die-cuts in various shapes offer children puffy glittery glimpses of the rainbow that brings this book to a close, but along the way, the uplifting message more than cheers them on: “No matter what the music,/ no matter what our name,/ no matter what our language…/ our smiles are all the same!” It’s a message worth shouting, it’s chantable, and it will have story hour attendees begging for rereads. VERDICT With a diverse crew of children of so many abilities and in such an array of cultural garb, this book wins. We all belong. –School Library Journal