CHEER

Get ready for audience participation when you read this story out loud.

This enthusiastic tribute to multigenerational family members and community helpers is an ideal preschool-storytime choice to spark discussion, appreciation, and, yes, cheers, especially for local or national recognition observances such as Grandparents’ Day, First Responders’ Day, and even National Authors’ Day. Cartoon illustrations in eye-catching colors depict an inclusive community via a mix of vignettes and single- and double-page spreads. Broadly, often lopsidedly smiling children and adults with a range of skin tones and hairstyles populate most pages. The primary cheerleader appears biracial, with a medium brown skin tone and pigtail puffs and interracial (black and white) parents. Readers are encouraged to “Cheer for the grannies… / the abuelas…the nanas! // Cheer for the dads. / They all act bananas.” (Aurora is not above the convenient, fundamentally meaningless rhyme.) The granny, who is black, is shown in a wheelchair, and several children and adults wear glasses. More than the usual community helpers are included, such as sanitation workers, sales clerks, janitors, and teammates. With short, simply worded rhyming couplets spread over two to four pages, there is plenty of room for rousing cheers and discussion about the important people in a young child’s life.

Gives appreciative preschoolers lots to cheer for.