ALL ARE WELCOME

Penfold and Kaufman return to the community introduced in All Are Welcome (2018), this time celebrating a child’s birth and growth.

The focus is on community from the very start—neighbors gather to see the latest arrival, a child with a sprout of dark hair, soon to be seen sporting glasses and a gap-toothed grin. As the pages turn, the child’s parent recounts wishes for the little one, wonders what the future holds, and describes how the child is “my best adventure,” “my wildest dream.” While the focus is on this particular pair, the child’s two closest friends and their parents are frequently seen; the friends are clearly as close as family. The slim story and rhyming verses are more similar to the creators’ Big Feelings (2021) than their stellar All Are Welcome. The narrative feels geared more toward nostalgic parents than their children, with the adults ultimately watching their kids graduate kindergarten. “I’m proud of you / when you try your best. / And when you know / it’s time to rest.” The accompanying illustrations, rendered in ink, crayon, collage, and acrylic paint, show a lively soccer match, the main child helping a friend who’s fallen into a puddle. Another image shows a parent driving the sleeping trio home. The main parent and child are brown-skinned; the community is diverse.

Sentimental parents and fans of the earlier book will be charmed.