Inspired by the Miami neighborhood she grew up in, author Tameka Fryer Brown teams up with award-winning illustrator Charlotte Riley-Webb for the picture book about a diverse community in Around Our Way on Neighbors’ Day . Neighbors gather on a hot summer day for a joyful block party: Kids play double Dutch; men debate at the barber shop and play chess; mothers and aunts cook up oxtail stew, collard greens, and other delicious treats; and friends dance and sway as jazz floats through the streets. A rhythmic tale that celebrates the diversity of a close-knit community, Around Our Way on Neighbors’ Day will excite readers and prompt them to discover the magic of their own special surroundings. Gr 1-3–Similar in variety of activities to Lee Bennett Hopkins's City I Love (Abrams, 2009), and similar in tone to Barbara Joosse's Hot City (Philomel, 2004), this story introduces a young narrator who seems to have covered every inch of her diverse urban block, celebrating a special day with her neighbors and relatives, dancing, double-Dutch jumping, snacking, and having fun in her own backyard. Full-bleed spreads in hot summer colors show the vibrant neighborhood as it pulsates with life. The book's lively illustrations and energetic main character lead readers to think about their own neighborhood, and the kind acts and community spirit that make good neighbors. This story in verse is sure to receive a warm welcome, and it might inspire youngsters to institute their own “Neighbors' Day.”–Sarah Provence, Churchill Road Elementary School, McLean, VAα(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. As an African American girl bounces around her urban neighborhood celebrating Neighbors’ Day, when everyone comes together for celebration and community bonding, she shares her energetic and enthusiastic observations: Blue sky, no clouds, / Summer heat, side street, / Whirling, whizzing feet. / Everyone is out to play / Today, around our way. She is happily surrounded by a multicultural crowd playing double Dutch and basketball, eating ice cream and drinking sour lemonade, debating in the barber shop, and playing chess in the park; and as the day and the block party progress, there is more food, music, laughter, and friendship. The acrylic art is saturated with rich color, energetic movement, and abstract figures and shapes, all reminiscent of Jacob Lawrence’s art. Most scenes are double-page spreads that, together with the words, demonstrate the size and diversity of a joyful world. Preschool-Grade 2. --Andrew Medlar Tameka Fryer Brown was inspired by the Miami neighborhood in which she grew up. Around Our Way on Neighbors’ Day is her first book. She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. Charlotte Riley-Webb is the award-winning illustrator of many books for children, including The Entrance Place of Wonders . She lives in Stockbridge, Georgia