First Laugh Welcome, Baby!, by Rose Ann Tahe and Nancy Bo Flood/Illustrated by Jonathan Nelson, (Aug. 2018, Charlesbridge), $16.99, ISBN: 9781580897945
Ages 5-8
A Navajo family waits for baby’s first laugh. Who will be the first to hear it? Will nima-sami (grandmother) hear it, as she tucks Baby in for a nap? Will it be big sister (nadi), who cooks Baby a tasty meal? Maybe it will be nima (mama), who sits weaving while Baby rests in a papoose. Or will it be cheii (grandpa), who splashes Baby with water? Everyone in the family is waiting, kissing, tickling, hugging, and singing, as Baby squirms, yawns, frowns, until… suddenly… a smile! Let the First Laugh celebration begin!
First Laugh Welcome, Baby is a beautiful look at a Navajo tradition; the First Laugh Celebration is a child’s first formal welcome into a family and clans. The lyrical story is filled with Navajo words and glimpses of Navajo life, woven into a story about the joy of a baby’s first laugh and the celebration it brings to families and communities. Jonathan Nelson’s pencil, acrylic, and Photoshop artwork create a loving portrait of a family that spends time together both in the city and on a Navajo reservation; they eat together, enjoy nature together, and socialize together in settings primarily illustrated with earthy tones and bold lines.
Back matter includes author’s notes from the late Rose Ann Tahe and Nancy Bo Flood, and an illustrator’s note from Jonathan Nelson; a note about the First Laugh Celebration, and ceremonies in other cultures, including Muslim, Nigerian, and Jewish families.
Nancy Bo Flood’s Soldier Sister, Fly Home is a powerful middle grade story about a Navajo family; First Laugh is a wonderful picture book that introduces younger readers to First Nation families. Please, please, please, put these and other books by indigenous authors and illustrators in your bookshelves and in front of your readers.
Mom Read It 
Thank you, Rosemary, for your thoughtful review. Your descriptions capture what we tried to create, the delightful welcoming and celebration of a new person into a family and clan that is shared by everyone. Jonathan’s illustrations add a sense of place, a sense of “today” to this unique tradition, and a sense of laughter.
Thank you so much for your comments! I wanted to do this book justice in a review that would inspire people to read it and love it as I do. What a wonderful celebration: a first laugh ceremony! I am hopeful that readers will look for more, and ask for more, books by First Nations authors.
Absolutely loved this one! Not only is is rich in love and family and culture, how fantastic is it that Dine babies are celebrated over their first laugh?! The entire concept makes me happy. Lovely illustrations, and the end note tribute to the author who passed away, as well as info about other welcoming celebrations for children around the world, are amazing. Just go check this out already.