Mario and Baby Gia

Actor and TV host Lopez—coauthor (with his sister Marissa Lopez-Wong) of Mud Tacos!—again teams with Roos for a story about the importance of family. Since his sister and other cousins are busy, bored Mario agrees to watch his cousin Gia while his grandmother is busy. Though he becomes exasperated when the toddler refuses to toss a ball back to him, throws her snack on the floor, and rips a page out of a book he’s trying to read to her, Mario forgives her when she plants a conciliatory kiss on his cheek. Roos’s close-up, kitschy cartoons are of the Saturday morning variety, featuring a bright palette and exaggerated facial expressions (even the dog grins at the dual birthday celebration for Mario and Gia that wraps up the book). The book’s attempts at humor mostly fall flat (a running joke has Gia referring to Mario as Marigold), and there’s no missing the story’s message, delivered in a final, syrupy line: “Family is the best gift of all.” Preschoolers may be buoyed by the book’s cheery tone, but adults will likely find it cloying. Ages 3–5. (Sept.)