At the Cookout by Nadia Fisher

Young Cici is excited. School is out for the summer, the cicadas are singing, the days are long, and she’s on her way to the family cookout—a gathering of aunties, uncles, and cousins, with Grandma overseeing the festivities at her house. Cici is especially looking forward to being reunited with her favorite cousin Chase, who lives far away. When Cici arrives at the cookout, Grandma embraces her, and other family members’ laughter, high fives, and hugs follow.

As Cici searches for Chase, she’s caught up in a rollicking water fight, joins in a Double Dutch jump rope game, cheers on her uncles’ horseshoe game, and passes her fun-loving aunties enjoying each other’s company. Still, she can’t find Chase.

Dejected, Cici is about to give up till she sees a bright red shoe poking out from under the tablecloth covering the dessert table. She lifts the fabric and discovers Chase eating one of Grandma’s famous chocolate chip cookies. Soon Grandma finds them under the table and invites them to dance with the entire family. Laughter, singing, dancing, and food follow, until eventually the cookout comes to an end.

But Cici isn’t sad. She knows it won’t be the last cookout of the summer. It’s only the first! So, Chase and Cici tell each other, “See you soon.”

Author/illustrator Nadia Fisher’s vivid illustrations and energetic text make her debut picture book a celebration of family, food, and culture. Christian parents and other adults who read this book with children might wish to use it as a springboard to talk about God’s gift of myriad cultures throughout the world.

(G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers)