A little boy goes to the farmer's market with his parents, wanders off and gets lost. It sounds like a rather anxiety-provoking premise for a children's book, but instead Huda Essa's "Common Threads: Adam's Day at the Market" (2019) is a joyful exploration of community and kindness. As Adam looks for his parents he encounters all sorts of helpful adults who resemble his mum and dad in various ways. Illustrator Mercé Tous' colourful spreads highlight both the beauty of the marketplace and of the various ethnocultural aesthetics, from Adam's parents in their headscarf and skullcap, to the nun in her modern habit, to what may be (much to my excitement) the first example I've ever seen in a picture book of a Modern Orthodox Jewish couple, in casually modest dress also with headscarf and kippah. The parallels drawn are beautiful without being heavy handed, and the almost-wordless story flows delightfully from one scene to the next. Back matter invites children to further explore the various ethnicities they've encountered in the book, which is a nice added touch! Thanks to Sleeping Bear Press for the PDF copy of this book, submitted for consideration as part of our #FindMeStories_2019 book list! ⚫ ⚫ ⚫ #noodlenutskidsbooks #commonthreads #commonthreadskids #commonthreadsadamsdayatthemarket #adamsdayatthemarket #farmersmarket #easternmarket #hudaessa #mercetous #lostchild #multicultural #multiculturalfamily #diversefamily #traditionalclothing #ethnicity #bookclub #homeschool #secularhomeschool #bookrecs https://www.instagram.com/p/B5TWtcMnV3I/?igshid=gwrl0gsokr2v
