Rainbow Stew

Review
By Book Dragon

While her words have no ethnic-specific identifiers, Cathryn Falwell (Butterflies for Kiri) enhances her story with multi-culti hues, choosing to give her story’s family – via her charming illustrations – African American heritage. She then adds small details throughout that wordlessly strengthen her prose: a grocery list that includes “tofu,” a reminder note to “call Lee” – surely a nod to Falwell’s wonderful indie press Lee & Low Books, a framed graduation picture of a young woman who is most likely the children’s mother, a copy of her own book – David’s Drawings (also published by Lee & Low) – pulled from the shelves and left on the floor as if in mid-read, the children’s art displayed throughout the house, and a wall calendar turned to the month of July which means the kids are enjoying their summer vacation. By both showing and telling, Falwell’s latest is a welcome rainbow of vibrant hues, ready and waiting to share.

Read the full review here .