OH NO, THE AUNTS ARE HERE

Oh no, here they come!

A small brown-skinned child braces as four of their aunts (two are brown-skinned, one presents as Asian, and one is light-skinned) cheerfully burst through the front door. Soon, the child is overwhelmed with hugs, pinched cheeks, the smell of coconut, and rapid-fire questions. To the dismay of the child, the aunts are here, they’re there, they’re everywhere! But as the adventure takes a more fantastical turn, the aunts become fiercely protective, fighting a wolf (“They read an article about this”) before reassuring the child in a loving embrace. Then, just as the child warms up to their presence, they leave in a fashion as dramatic as their entrance. Armed with sun visors, hand sanitizer, and fanny packs, the aunts have undeniable charm—it’s hard to not be swept away by their shenanigans. The pacing and rhythm of the text make it a joy to read aloud, with streams of repeating lines, occasional rhymes (“Fanny packs. A snack. Pack that snack back in the fanny pack”), and varied use of fonts contributing to the hilariously over-the-top energy of the aunts. Cho’s vibrant illustrations and mastery of perspective perfectly capture the eccentricities and exuberance of each aunt, contrasting the child’s concerned expressions to humorous effect. Keen-eyed readers will delight in finding clues in the illustrations that foreshadow what’s to come. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A gleefully fun take on the loving chaos of family reunions.