HELLO, FRIENDS!

A boy says hello to his friends, who answer in their native languages, in this picture book from debut author Williams and illustrator Stevens.

Curly-haired, brown-skinned Daniel is getting ready to attend a neighborhood picnic with his dad. As they walk, Daniel encounters many friends, each time greeting them by name: His pal Zola responds in French; Mai greets him in Chinese; and others respond in other languages. Williams also depicts the kids sharing delicious, culturally appropriate foods. In Stevens’ colorful illustrations, each child wears modern, city-appropriate clothing, and some include nods to specific cultures: Zola, for instance, wears a beret; Koda, a Cherokee boy, has braids and a dream catcher necklace; and Yuki wears Japanese zori and a shirt with a Japanese character. As everyone joins together in the park, the children dance and play to the same music. The message of friendship across cultures resonates, and Williams has selected a wide variety of languages, which also include Swahili, German, and Spanish. The repetitive text invites young readers to chime in with every hello, and a pronunciation guide at the end offers useful guidance for parents reading aloud.

Children surrounded by diversity will find this book relatable; others may use it as a window into unfamiliar cultures.