Share the love

First Impression: A fun and vibrant rhyming book demonstrating the mischief kids get up to when family comes to stay.

the cousins are coming book cover

This review comes to you thanks to the copy of the Cousins are Coming. Read on to find out more about this 5 star children’s book.

I absolutely loved the Cousins are Coming by author, Kay Jones. The story tells of the anticipation of waiting for family to arrive for a short stay. It’s very relatable as the children of differing ages run off to have fun, often with the littlest member of the group trailing behind. Throughout the story, we are invited to peek at the children as they play games, put on a production, engage in a water fight, have fun baking, and generally have a memorable action-packed day.

Illustrator, Peter Trimarco, supports the narrative well with a mixture of double- and single-page pencil drawings. I enjoyed the level of detail included that lets young readers tell their own story through the illustrations. I also liked the wide range of colors used that were varied but not too bright and overstimulating.

All in all, the story had a wonderful flow, although the last couplet didn’t quite rhyme and was a bit of an anticlimax. That said, I’m sure the intended audience would forgive this, if they even noticed it at all. The book is great for introducing young readers to rhyme, rhythm, and timing, and as I mentioned before, it tells of an experience that is quite common to many families. I also like how the book included character voices by adding little snippets of dialogue within the illustrations that were age appropriate for the character speaking them. Carers and toddlers alike will enjoy this book time and time again. It’s a deserved 5 out of 5 stars.

Quick Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ / G Rated

Have your say: What’s a key activity that defines your family get-togethers? The Papergirl Community looks forward to reading your responses in the comments below.

Disclaimer: Clicking on links may direct you to Papergirl branded products, or Papergirl endorsed items for which there is an affiliation. It will not affect your purchases or prices in any way, but it may mean that Papergirl earns a small commission from any successful sales.

Wondering what to review next, consider: