Write a Review Wednesday: Say Hello!

I absolutely adore Rachel Isadora’s books. Often her picture books will feature a diverse cast of characters in such a positive and uplifting light. In Say Hello we meet Carmelita who is taking her dog Manny for a walk. Throughout their walk in their richly diverse neighborhood, Carmelita learns how to greet her neighbors in their native tongue. Manny, too, greets the neighbors and his barks are treated as the proper greeting for each language.

Ms. Isadora is a classically trained ballerina who had to switch careers after an injury. Her beautiful artwork and great stories seem to be created for our pleasure. Say Hello is a great example of how a picture book is anythng but simple.

The theme for my library’s Summer Reading Program is ‘One World, Many Stories’ and this book fits right in! Readers will enjoy learning greetings in a variety of languages and will enjoy seeing characters that look like them. The story is great for a crowd, small groups or one on one. This book also explore other cultures in a positive way that invites further discussion.

Like her other books, Rachel Isadora’s illustrations are bright, fun and varied. The characters are reflective of many urban neighborhoods. The painitngs tell a story of their own. Full of detail and colors, the illustrations can also tell a story.