My Cousin Momo

by Zachariah OHora

Zachariah OHora's distinctive retro art and kid-friendly humor take the stage in this story about accepting and celebrating differences.

Momo is coming to visit, and his cousins are SO excited! But even though Momo is a flying squirrel, he won't fly for his cousin’s friends. Plus, his games are weird. He can't even play hide and seek right! But when Momo's cousins give his strange ways a chance, they realize that doing things differently can be fun...almost as much fun as making a new friend.

Fans of Peter Brown and Bob Shea will fall in love with Zachariah OHora’s bold artwork and hilarious characters.

Genres: Picture Books, Family, Childrens, Animals, Friendship, Storytime, Humor

32 pages, Hardcover

First published June 2, 2015

About the author

Zachariah OHora is the illustrator of the New York Times best seller Wolfie the Bunny. His debut as an author, Stop Snoring Bernard! won the 2011 Society of Illustrators Founders Award and was the 2012 State of PA Dept of Ed One book. His follow up, Not Fits Nilson! was named the Huffington Post Best Children's Book of 2013, a Kirkus Best Picture Book of 2013, a New York Public Library Book for Reading and Sharing and was given the PALA Carolyn W. Field Award. His book My Cousin Momo! was named by the Boston Globe a Best Picture Book of 2015 and was a Junior Library Guild Selection. His latest book The Not So Quiet Library hits shelves July 19th. He lives and works in Narberth, PA with his wife, two sons and two cats.

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story and art are cute enough, but there's nothing really new here. There are dual lessons for kids on being tolerant of others, and trying new things, but I've basically read this story before.

[S. Daisy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute children's picture book about a flying squirrel who comes to visit his common squirrel cousins. He is unfamiliar with their kinds of games and their ways of life, and the cousins consider him weird because of his differences. The book teaches acceptance of differences to a young audience.

The pictures are very colorful and nice. My only complaint would be that the squirrels in the pictures do not look much like squirrels. Momo reminds me more of a beaver or a groundhog. Other than that, it was a cute book that I think children would enjoy either as a read-aloud book or an early reader. Four stars.

[Kaethe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is part of my 365 Kids Books challenge. For an explanation see my review for 101 Amazing Facts about Australia You can see all the books on their own shelf.

Another strong color palette, with a darkish pink and mustard and olive and teal. This one has lots of female critters in the cast, which you can tell because they all appear to be wearing skirts or dresses, whereas the guys only wear shirts. What? Not a subtle story. Cousin Momo is weird, when he comes to visit, he does everything differently. But by the end of his visit the sweatbands have caught on, and although he is different, he doesn't seem weird at all.

Library copy.

[Susie · Rating 3 out of 5]

My favorite part of this book was examining how Ohora is able to do so much with lines. He is able to be so expressive with simple strokes. I loved the surprised expressions on the "superheroes" when Momo showed up as a muffin. I would hope that kids would not make fun of Momo because he was much larger than the others.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a lot of strange friends. I probably am the strange friend in some cases. Cousin Momo is pretty dang weird but we find that when he shines, he shines like a diamond teardrop on the edge of infinity. I hope the message gets through to the kids. Even if it doesn't, the illustrations are enough to make everybody happy.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This delightful, humorous book about an eccentric family member coming to visit is one of my new favorites of 2015. I might even be so bold to say it has Caldecott potential. Look for My Cousin Momo in bookstores in June.

[Michele Knott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Young kids often think there is only one right way to do things - their way of doing it. Come to think of it, there are adults like that too... Not that I would know...
Anyway, now we have a book to share and talk about celebrating differences and trying something new.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

My fave of the 3 I just previewed for storytime next week. It's okay to be different, plus - SQUIRREL!

[XUE · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a 29 years old and I shed a tear when I saw momo was packing his stuff and prepared to leave.

[Debra · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book about differences. Sometimes you have a preset idea of how a far away friend you have never met with a distinct talent is going to act. Momo is a rather stout flying squirrel who plays regular games VERY differently. His idea of hide and seek is to look and study objects then take their photo. The cousins he is visiting think he is weird because he doesn't do things their way. When they finally start to bend their perceptions, they discover Momo is a great deal of fun except for his version of hide and seek. At the end they are sorry to see him leave - AND THEN... A very good way to end it.

[Arnela · Rating 5 out of 5]

A family pf tree squirrels, especially the kids, are expecting their cousin, a flying squirrel, over for a visit. Obviously the kids have some preconceived expectations of how the visit will go and are a little put off by those expectations not being met.

It's a story about not letting your expectations control how you experience new things, it's about understanding and respecting that what you consider normal is not someone else's normal, and to be open about trying new things or doing old things in a new way.

The art is really cute, very simple colors and basic shapes that make it easy for kids to re-draw the characters and write their own little squirrel adventures.

[Picture Books To Grow - Shoshana Magnet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is less about sibling rivalry and more about family dynamics and outsiders joining the family. I wanted to include it because it includes family members visiting, perhaps from other countries, perhaps stepchildren joining the family, perhaps adoption of older children. It’s excellent. With very few words, it details the complexities of family reconfiguration. love this book. I love it so much. Although I easily read it to my youngest son 50 million times, I never tired of it. It captures that feeling so perfectly – the awkwardness of first meeting, the anticipation and disappointment, the challenges of difference and the delight of discovery. I can’t recommend it enough.

[Elayne Crain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cousin Momo is coming to visit, and his cousins are very excited. But even though Momo is a flying squirrel, he's too shy to fly for an audience--and he can't even play acorn pong or hide and seek correctly!

However, when Momo's cousins realize they've gone too far with their criticism, they decide to give Momo's new-to-them ways a chance for his sake--only to find that they all benefit.

It's a super quirky and sweet story with delightful illustrations--but let's face it, this book REALLY had me hooked as a lifelong fan as soon as Momo dressed up as Muffin Man, his idea of a superhero. Same, Momo, same. Pastry Power!

[Shanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very cute and fun to read book about a flying squirrel and his gray squirrel family members. Momo comes to visit and his cousins are so excited! They want to see him fly…but he is too shy. They want to play hide and seek with him…but he does it the wrong way. This leads them to become upset about how Momo does things. Will the cousins ever find a compromise?

Ohora’s winning illustrations make this one a fun one to read and the message is clear, but the reader has fun getting to it. It’s okay to do things a different way and, if you’re used to doing things one way, maybe try it a friend’s way and see if it works out okay? You might like it!

Mia’s Year of Books: Day 318

[Norah C · Rating 3 out of 5]

The artwork for this story did a lot of good in helping visualize what was happening, though the story itself didn't hold a clear message or meaning that a child might grasp unaided. This story is very sweet, though, with the two squirrel siblings learning that just because Momo's ideas of having fun and playing are different from their own doesn't mean that they aren't fun. The siblings learn to think outside of their own perspective, which, when explained a little to young ones, is a very valuable lesson. A short but sweet little story, I'd have fun reading this to a class!

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Momo came to visit, he wasn't at all what his cousins expected. He didn't do things the same way they did, or dress the same, and he was supposed to be able to fly, but he seemed shy. Eventually, the cousins tried things his way and discovered it was fun! Nice ending and illustrations for this cute story.

[John Mullarkey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun and unique story about acceptance and understanding that everyone is different. Cousin MoMo comes to stay at his cousins' house but the fun gets stalled by MoMo's "way" of playing games and finding fun. It is a great story to read aloud and share. The illustrations are terrific - Zachariah Ohora's use of bold, thick lines and colors tare real stand outs. I have always been a fan of his creative method in picture books and this one fits right in with all of the others.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes children aren't very nice to each other, even to cousins. People are different from one another and like different things and do things different ways. But that doesn't mean they are different in a bad way.

Cousin Momo comes to visit, and he doesn't do things the same way as his cousins. But they try things his way and come to find they like his way of doing things.

[Donna Mork · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book about a cousin who comes to visit but is so very different from how things are normally done that the other kids aren't sure what to do with him. They finally try things his way, and find out it's fun, but not as fun as the way they are used to. The cousin leaves, and they start planning their visit to their cousins.

[Tayler K · Rating 3 out of 5]

Momo the flying squirrel comes from far away to visit his cousins, tree squirrels. Momo does things differently from his cousins and they don't understand each other's games and passtimes. The cousins make fun of Momo and he starts to leave, but they apologize and try doing things Momo's way. The different games are fun too! Momo's trip ends and the cousins can't wait to visit him next!

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not really sure of the point of this one. A couple nasty kids are rude to a visiting relative who quickly forgives them, and the kids learn not to be so judgmental and how to do things in different ways. I think maybe I didn't really believe they were sorry in the first place. The art is super cute, as with all OHora's books.

[Lara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good message about trying new things and being open minded with new people (both for Momo and the cousins) and definitely has an emotional moment or two, but I'm not crazy about the art style. I like the colors, but overall, just not to my taste. Is Momo wearing sunglasses or just has ginormous eyes? While it is a good theme, there are other books I like better with the same take-home message.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I asked my students what they thought this was really about, three responses stood out. 1) Not everything has to be done your way 2)It's okay to try something new 3) Accept people as they are

All good ideas to pass on.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book and the illustrations! My library had the honor of hosting Zach for a reading/book signing yesterday and the kids had a blast! Looking forward to Niblet & Ralph that comes out in June.

[Marta-Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Momo might dress and play games differently, but when his cousins give his ways a chance, they discover maybe different isn't so bad. Great storytime choice for Pre-K thru grade 1 to introduce acceptance and that trying new things can be fun.

[Rebecca Plaza · Rating 4 out of 5]

We don't always have someone in our path whose ideas and ways asks us to look at how we play/live.
This is an empathetic story of what practicing tolerance looks like for younger readers but the message travels up too.

[Terresa Wellborn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story about cousin Momo, who has a special ability: he's a flying squirrel. Stylized illustrations and funny situations will tickle kids: Pastry Power and Acorn-Pong, and hide-and-seek Momo style.

Themes: animals, humor, family, being unique
Ages: K-1st grade
Pub year: 2015

[Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aww! What a nice message of inclusion!

[Elena Maddox · Rating 4 out of 5]

PA One Book, Every Young Child 2018 pick

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just can't get enough of this guy's illustrations! I always love them! =)