Here Come The Cousins

 

Here Come The Cousins (Thames & Hudson) Maggie Hutchings & Sarah Zweck PB RRP $26.99 ISBN 9781760764883

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

Maggie Hutchings is an Australian author known for her heartfelt and humorous picture books that explore kindness, resilience, and connection. A former counsellor and family mediator, she brings a deep understanding of emotional wellbeing to her storytelling.

Sarah Zweck is a children’s book author and illustrator who brings her love of texture, colour, and storytelling to picture books. Her illustrative style is playful and expressive. Her debut book as author–illustrator, Ray, was published in 2024.

I count down the days all year until seven smiling cousins bounce through Pop’s door …

A nostalgic and warm homage to the laughter, mischief, and delight of summer holidays at Pop’s with family.

Maggie Hutchings has created a joyful text filled with heart and warmth. She focuses upon the making of memories with a cherished family gathering at Pop’s seaside house. A shared summer holiday with all generations gives this book a timeless feel of family love and connection. The plot focuses on small, connected experiences told by a child narrator. The opening is delightful I count down the days until… you can feel the anticipation and excitement in her words. Her succinct sentences dance across the page with each small moment. Then it’s rock paper, scissors for the highest bunk.

I love the links to time and how they build family connection and rituals. We stop by the door post to measure who grew the most since last summer. This also connects to what lots of families do in their own homes. The language used is simply delightful, so sensory and evocative. Cousins speckled with sea salt! Cousins striped with zebra zinc! Cousins duck-diving deeper than we should! Cleverly she also celebrates childhood bravery with an adventuresome splash of summer freedom.

As the text moves through the day the mood and pace change. Our afternoons are shady and snoozy. I love how in the evening the photo album comes out and we see the parents as kids and Pop being bold and free. There is so much to love in this book it just makes your heart sing.

Sarah Zweck’s illustrations give this story so much heart and vibrancy. Her work beautifully captures the joy and energy of family reunions. The comfort of shared family moments and the thrill of beach moments shine out from every page. Her visual storytelling brings humour and delight to the text creating multiple layers of storytelling. The cover is so dynamic and full of cousin movement it immediately makes you smile. The colours are vibrant and summery. The addition of the narrator’s little dog is lovely. The movement of the cousins and their facial expressions and interactions sing. She really enhances the narratives emotional depth. This is a wonderful pairing of illustrations and text. The endpapers with seashells let the reader immediately know a summer holiday is on the way.

Here Come The Cousins is a heart filled picture book that celebrates family, summer, rituals, beach holidays and love. It is a powerful celebration of an Aussie summer holiday. Children, families, teachers and librarians alike will love this book because it has such an emotional hook that creates connection to story.