No Matter What . . . We All Belong

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