REINA RAMOS

Reina Ramos plays tour guide to her visiting cousin while navigating big feelings.

Reina’s excited to welcome Andrés to her city. He’s two years older than her, and they haven’t seen each other in a long time, so she wonders if they’ll have a good time. Abuela and Andrés have so much to chat about as he shares news from “the island,” but Reina has never been there and feels left out of the conversation. Even Reina’s friend Carlos has been to the island and shares a connection with Andrés. Mami explains that Andrés is likely homesick, but Reina is still left feeling excluded. When Reina snaps at Andrés after a subway mishap, the cousins finally have a chance to clear the air. Reina realizes that even though the city feels familiar to her, it’s a whole new world for Andrés, and he misses the island. He reminds her that they’re family, and they decide that they’ll teach each other about their respective homes. The book’s concise sentences and its rich vocabulary, including both English and some Spanish words, make it ideal for beginning readers. The narrative skillfully portrays respectful conflict resolution, perspective-taking, and flexibility. The family is Latine; although which island Andrés is from is never explicitly mentioned, a reference to Celia Cruz hints at Cuba.

Problem-solving is on display in this delightful story.