Riding Through Rice Fields: A Trip to the Philippines

An enlivening bicycle trip closes the emotional distance between a parent and child in Sterling’s serene tale. At dinnertime each night, Mateo and Dad “look at each other, but we don’t really see each other.” When they head to a family reunion in the Philippines, “where Dad grew up,” though, “I start to see him differently.” The pair rent bikes to reach Dad’s hometown, along the way taking a boat ride, visiting a coconut plantation, and encountering situations that teach Mateo about the concept of bayanihan—community help for a neighbor. Austria’s digital illustrations render the lush landscape in greens, golds, and oranges, a palette that invigorates the duo’s return home, where the family toasts “new beginnings and bayanihan!” Ages 3–7. (Mar.)