I've never read a book of Jacqueline Woodson that I didn't like, and this recent read is no exception.
The images coupled with the story come alive with vibrant text and color.

I could hear the children playing loudly trying to out do each other. And, the bright colors worn by all in attendance made this such a wonderfully happy book. ( )

Throughout this entire book, you get sass! It's told in African-American dialect. This story depicts most African-American family gatherings in a great way. The author discussed the many different family members and food they brought to the gathering. The illustrations were very unique and actually made me feel like I was apart of the picnic. ( )

While reading this book about a family picnic, I could not help but relate to Teeka. Throughout the book, Teeka and Grandma are going through everyone in the family and what food they did or did not bring. The illustrations were bright and almost realistic. While reading the details of the book and engaging with the beautiful illustrations, it almost felt as if I was at the picnic myself. I think this is yet another great book by Jacqueline Woodson. The flowing words and bright pictures made this book engaging, yet fun. I would read this book in a classroom because it can showcase the culture of the family, different cuisines people enjoy, different ways to bond with family, and even explained how family is made up. I love the way this book makes readers feel and all that it teaches them. ( )

A great message that says even though people come from the same family, a person can be very different from a cousin, uncle, brother, or aunt. ( )

I would read this story in my elementary classroom when discussing family traditions and customs. It would be a very relatable story I believe and I think it would bring up some funny and entertaining conversations for students. It would be a good book to read before asking students to write about a family tradition they have.