Family Reunion

by Chad Richardson, Ashleigh Corrin (Illustrator)

A boy is reluctant to go to his family reunion, which he’s sure will be boring. Vivid, poetic language and rich illustrations bring readers along for the boy's emotional journey, as he ultimately finds himself enjoying the large and joyous gathering in spite of himself. This modern kid’s-eye view depiction of a Black American extended family celebrates the importance of kinship and intergenerational ties.

Genres: Picture Books, Family, Fiction, Childrens, African American, Realistic Fiction, Juvenile

24 pages, Hardcover

Published June 1, 2021

Reviews

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this cheerful picture book story, a young boy dreads an upcoming family reunion, but hugs, some cash from his grandfather, tasty food, games with his cousins, and a cook-off between his father and uncle make for an enjoyable experience.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm so glad more and more stuff like this is getting published. Black American culture is American culture, period. Let's keep making those connections...

[Shari (Shira) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chad and Dad has been spying on my family reunion! This is a book that I simply must get for Chase who LOVES family reunions. He never activated his force field.

[ms. hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was okay. A lot of the kiddos were confused with the slang used in this book and had LOTS of question. Chad and Dad Richardson did an overall an okay job. There were a few places that the kiddos had a good laugh!

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Family reunions sound boring for one little boy, but he eventually realizes how fun these gatherings are. He gets to play with his cousins, see his parents relax, and the other adults having fun on their own. Playing ball, making faces, and cooking delicious meals, he wishes family time would never end and wishes to go back real soon!

The text is very minimal for this story, and yet the writing is uniquely noted, as I felt it sounded like it truly came from a little kid speaking his story. Written by a dad & son duo and illustrated in a colorful palette, Family Reunion shows the value in family gatherings and a nice addition to books for Black History Month.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Young Chad does NOT want to go to his Family reunion. He'd rather be anywhere else, playing video games...but after a while, he discovers, that being around cousins and uncles and family, he might...just realize...something about family.
Simplistic illustrations Ashleigh Corrin and a poetic text by authors Chad and his Dad Charles Richardson, provide a great look into the power of family reunions and their importance in family history and connectivity.

[Michelle Gallegos · Rating 3 out of 5]

This a story of how a young boy is not excited to attend a family reunion. I think most kids, even adults, have thought the same way. This story takes us through the journey of a family reunion through the eyes of a young boy. At first the young boy does not like the idea of a family reunion and believes it to be boring. As the boy experiences the family reunion, he's come to find himself enjoying his time spent with family.
Through the illustrations we get a glimpse of African American reunions and the important of this celebration. The text is written in short sentences and short phrases/thoughts, I believe the author did this to give us that young child feeling; It targeting audience is young children. The illustrations were bright and colorful giving the family reunion a joyful feeling, there is a lot of facial expressions. Some of the text was written in a different to point out the describe words that describe the reunion. The texture in the illustrations added to the different hair textures the family had, some face features were similar as well. There was a two page spread that I found to attract the eyes, its when it talks about the family telling stories about the family. Around the young boy, are white figures outlines in gold to signify that the stories are about their family members that no longer are in this world.
I find this book to be a great book to read for pleasure and even a read aloud. Children attitudes about family reunions can be altered, it might even get children excited to go to a family reunion one day.

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

See my full review here: https://www.yabookscentral.com/kidsfi...

FAMILY REUNION is a colorful picture book that captures all the joy of seeing family, even when you think you don't want to go. A young boy would rather stay at home and play video games than go to his family reunion. He reluctantly attends, and even though he tries to stay apart, he starts to notice all the fun of being around family, catching up with older family members and playing with his cousins.

What I loved: The illustrations are really fantastic with lots of bright colors and all the joy of family. The story arc is great with the reluctance to go and preference for video games, which is not an uncommon feeling of kids, to the way he slowly gets pulled into all the love and fun of seeing family. The poetic writing adds an interesting touch to the book with almost a stream-of-consciousness feel.

What left me wanting more: The writing is a bit awkward in places, and a bit more explanation would be helpful for young children, though the poetry is cool and lends itself to brevity.

Final verdict: A brightly colored picture book, FAMILY REUNION is all about the joy of seeing and spending time with extended family. Recommend for elementary school aged readers.

Please note that I received a review copy. All opinions are my own.

[Mirallegro, Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Family Reunion" is a story about a young boy that does not want to attend his family reunion because he would rather play video games. He puts up an invisible force field when he arrives and does not want to interact with anyone until his PopPop comes up and gives him a hug. This is when the boy starts to participate in the fun activities at the reunion and eats the food. He ends up having a great time with his family and vows to not put up a force field next year. I think this a great story to teach kids about the importance of family. I think a lot of young children dread family events and don't really enjoy them. I like this book because a lot of children can relate to the boy's dread, however once he got involved, he had a really fun time. Moreover, I like the diversity of this text as well. I would love to use this book in my future classroom to hopefully help students get more involved with their family and their events.

[Lacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This tells the story about a boy who is reluctant to attend his family reunion and would rather stay home and play video games. However, once he goes, he starts to realize the fun and joy that comes with visiting with relatives and joining in on the festivities. This is a great children's picture book that is aimed at 5-10 year olds. It's written in lyrical poetic form and uses lingo and phrases that will resonate with African American children. I think it would be a great addition to school or public libraries so that African American children can see themselves reflected in a children's book.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Barefoot Books for a copy to review!

The family reunion is a powerful event in Black culture. This book captures that joy, while also immersing the reader in it from the perspective from a reluctant child. This is one of those wholesome family books that will make you crave some good food and goofiness that can only be found around those who know where you come from.

The only thing I didn’t particularly like was that the text felt short, which was a poetic choice. But I think some younger readers may need help examining the pictures and text as a whole to understand the story.

[The Silvan Reverie | Sarah Street · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this celebration of family written by an own-voices father-son duo, and beautifully illustrated to bring about all those lively-summer-vibes. I thought the overall purpose of the book was wonderfully accomplished, though a few times the text reads a little choppy. That said, I love the style and my kids were thoroughly engaged. It's a great celebration of black families and the special event of a family reunion.

**Note: I was given a review copy of this book by Publisher's Spotlight. Opinions are my own.

[Kenna Lampe · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book because it’s about family and building relationships with them. The little boy in this story didn’t want to go to his family reunion because he didn’t think he’d have fun or know anyone and instead wanted to stay home and play video games. After going to his family reunions, he realized that these people are like him and like many of the same things he does. He ended up having a lot of fun and couldn’t wait to see his family again during the next reunion. This is a really sweet book and has a good message about building relationships with family.

[Theediscerning · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess this is a success, but it seems aimed at (or certainly the creators are pitching it at) just one ethnicity, when I would have thought the simple story of a child reluctant to go to a big family reunion, only to have the time of their life, would have been global. Still, the Black American English used, here presented in snappy little, slangy little, near-poetic segments, does kind of demand it not be a global hit. Three and a half stars.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a completely relatable picture book, the narrator, a young boy, dreads the upcoming family reunion. There are so many better ways to spend the time, including playing video games. He isn't thrilled with the long ride or the unfamiliar folks he sees when he arrives. But a hug and some cash from his grandfather, yummy food, games with his cousins, and a cook-off between his father and uncle make the experience nowhere near as unpleasant as he expected it to be. Time spent in church and family stories help cement the connection he feels to his extended family, and he leaves with a new perspective and an eagerness to come back next year. The digital illustrations are filled with plenty of humor and expressive faces, but the text felt a bit jarring as I was reading it. Perhaps the authors are trying to sound just like a youngster with incomplete sentences and partial thoughts, which makes the approach authentic and effective for their purposes. I'd have preferred a straight narrative.

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a happy and joy-filled book about one family's reunion experience. A child whines about having to go to the big event, but by the end he "gets it" and can't wait to celebrate with his extended family again in the future. An idea book for a child who will be attending, or has just attended, a family reunion.

Veg*n families note: A rivalry between two family member's signature dishes, one of which is fish and the other ribs, is mentioned.

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a beautiful picture book!

I attended a picture book read-in for work, and the authors attended as well and gave a talk about the creation of the book. They were so lovely, and I love that the inspiration for the book came from their own family and family reunion experiences.

Such beautiful illustrations and depictions of Black joy and family and tradition. This is a great book for read-aloud in storytime. The use of haiku to tell the story was also really fun.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

A child isn't looking forward to the family reunion, but once he arrives and sees his PopPop, his opinion changes. While reunions can initially be awkward, it's a way for families spread out across the country/world to catch up. The illustrator did a great job making all different individual people at the reunion. Could be good to read to kids before any family gathering, especially around the holidays, since it's a non-holiday book.

[Margaret Boling · Rating 4 out of 5]

9/6/2021 ~ A well-paced picture book about a boy who is convinced the family reunion will be boring and then ends up enjoying himself after all. Vivid illustrations will add to the fun of sharing this book with students.

I thought it was so interesting that I had just picked this up at my public library when I received a blast email from the author promoting author visits.

[Teresa Rodrigues · Rating 5 out of 5]

Family Reunion by Chad and Dad Richardson and Ashleigh Corrin is a delightful celebration of family! A young boy is reluctant to attend this year's family reunion, but quickly learns that it might not be as bad and as boring as he thought. With fun, lively text, written in the voice of a child, and vibrant illustrations, Family Reunion is sure to be a hit!

[Zoe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Family Reunion read like a child would talk. While the storyline was fun and relatable, I did not like that the authors chose to use the words, 'cuz,' and 'fam,' in their writing. I think it would be hard for some kids to see incorrect spelling in a book and be expected to spell the correct way in their writing.

[I am Gnome Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I pulled this book to include in a display supporting a Families themed Storytime. This book could be a good one to share with any child that will soon be attending a family reunion. It touches on the neat things about attending such a gathering, while showing a relatable initial reluctance about it all. Could be ok for Preschoolers, more digestible for early elementary.

[Aolund · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful, loving tale of a Black kid, at first reluctant to attend his annual family reunion, who ultimately realizes how fun, inspiring, and meaningful connecting with his family is.

Themes: Family
Age range: Preschool-Kindergarten

[Marcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A celebration of the power of family. A young boy doesn't want to attend the family reunion but ends up having a great time and feeling the family love that surrounds him. The book celebrates African American culture and traditions and the illustrations are terrific.

[Children's Literature Centre at FSU · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shows very good family values and the importance of family to a little boy who wasn’t too sure about going to the family reunion. He would end up going to the reunion and have a really good time with his family and couldn’t wait to go back the next year after it was done.

[Phobean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captures the exact feeling of a Black American family reunion in fun, energetic, celebratory language. My only critique is that I've never met a child who resisted going to a family reunion event. That's a thing?!

[Viviane Elbee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book and the large family reunion vibes that jumped off the page, from both the text and the illustrations. It reminded me of my own family reunions.
I am not sure why the main character initially did not want to go, though I do understand the boringly long car rides!

[Andréa]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely Black joy read.

[Y.Poston]

Beautiful ode to family!