The brothers Zzli /

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

A moving allegory of immigration and hospitality.

One day, the brothers Zzli come to the doorstep of a little girl named Welcome. Welcome has plenty of room in her big, empty house, and the travelers--who have come from far away--make good pancakes and even better company. But others in the forest find this new family strange, even dangerous. When the bears invite their neighbors to a big party, only
Welcome's friend the bat shows up. Soon after that, a policeman knocks on their door, threatening to destroy the brothers' beloved beehives. Maybe Welcome and her friends need to find someplace that might accept three bears, a bat, and a girl like her: somewhere to call home at last.

With charming, delightful illustrations reminiscent of vintage children's classics, The Brothers Zzli invites readers to join a bear family's search for belonging in a world that views them with suspicion. This poignant story will spark lasting conversations about the impact of prejudice, the struggles of refugees, and the responsibility we have to our neighbors--especially the new ones.

The Children's Book Council Teacher FAVORITES List 3rd-5th Grade (2024)

Foreword Reviews INDIES Book of the Year Award in Picture Books, Early Reader Finalist (2023)

Albertine The Prix Albertine Jeunesse 3-5, 6-8 & 9-14 Years Old Shortlist (2024)

Mississippi Children's Museum Magnolia Book Awards Pre-K - 2nd Grade Nominee (2023)

Reviews provided by Syndetics

School Library Journal Review

K-Gr 2--In this import with something of a Goldilocks reversal, three refugee bear brothers come stay with a little girl who resides by herself in a big house in the forest. Invited by the girl's bat friend to allay her loneliness, the enormous Zzli siblings fill the girl's house with noise and dancing, cheerfully eating and cooking, setting up a train set, and installing beehives in the garden. They tell the tragic story of being exiled from their home, and the hardships they experienced on their journey to find a new one. The girl enjoys this chaotic ursine company, dubbing the brothers Yes, No, and Maybe, and in turn, being called Welcome by them. However, she discovers that the neighborhood forest creatures are hostile and afraid, espousing sentiments that "all the bears in the world will overrun [their] beautiful forest." A policeman arrives under the pretense of dismantling the beehives, and then in a darker turn of events, the girl's house is set on fire, forcing her and the bears to seek a more hospitable place to stay. Though the text ends on a questioning note, the later spreads depict the girl and the bears finding a welcoming community. Boutin's fantastical illustrations have a vintage graphics feel, providing a contrast to the difficult and grim themes. The cartoonish antics of the bears and the vivid colors and patterns lighten the mood but do not detract from the heft of the story. VERDICT A unique and touching take on the subjects of immigration and intolerance, welcome in collections alongside Yuyi Morales's Dreamers and Issa Watanabe's Migrants.--Yelena Voysey

Booklist Review

Bears looking for a place to live find friendship and hospitality in a stranger's home in this touching story with a classic feel. The brothers Zzli, who are three bears but eat enough for four, are refugees who have been on the road for a long time. A little girl who lives alone in a large house warmly offers up her home. She endearingly nicknames them Yes, No, and Maybe, reflective of their common responses. The brothers in turn call the girl Welcome, and together they eat, dance, laugh, and have fun. Yes, No, and Maybe organize a party for the neighborhood, but no one comes except for the girl's bat-friend. The girl and bat-friend soon grasp the intolerance of the other forest residents, who are worried that "the bears in the world will overrun [their] beautiful forest." One day, a police officer shows up "because [the] neighbors have been complaining." The following night, the girl's house is set on fire, presumably by someone who doesn't like the bears. The brothers Zzli, the bat-friend, and the little girl set off to find a more welcoming place to call home. This moving allegory is captured by expressive, illustrations in a vintage style created with markers and digital media primarily featuring reds, yellows, greens, and blues. Wordless full-page spreads at the end capture the uplifting conclusion, capping off the story's inclusive message.

Horn Book Review

A girl lives alone in a big house deep in the forest. One day her bat friend suggests that she make room for three bears who "were driven out of their home" and have nowhere to live. The text gives no explanation for the bears' displacement, but an image of them running from a fire allows readers to extrapolate. The child, dubbed "Welcome" by the bear brothers (after the word on her doormat), accepts the new changes to her quiet life and comes to love the vibrancy of her home. But not everyone is comfortable with the newcomers. The neighbors complain to the police, worried that now "all the bears in the world will overrun our beautiful forest." After a suspiciously set fire destroys the house, Welcome and the bears head out into the world looking for a place where they will be accepted. Cousseau's somewhat lengthy tale is a modern fable in which creatures migrate and individuals can make room for newcomers even when communities are hostile. The serious themes are balanced by Boutin's decorative, stylized illustrations (with many festive scenes embellished with berries, vines, and flowers) in a palette reminiscent of old-fashioned color-separated art. Maeve Visser KnothSeptember/October 2023 p.49 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Kirkus Book Review

Cousseau puts a unique spin on the oft-told encounter between a girl and three bears. In this version, the girl is the homeowner, and the bears, known as the brothers Zzli, are the guests. Unlike in the fairy tale, there are no intruders--"driven out of their home," the bears arrive at the girl's invitation and are greeted warmly. They bring joy to her life, and together the newfound family overcomes communication barriers and other challenges. Despite the bears' kind hearts, intolerant neighbors treat them as dangerous interlopers and respond with escalating acts of harassment and violence. Boutin's detailed illustrations are riveting, with bold inky lines and palettes reminiscent of woodcut prints used in 20th-century Russian and Polish folk art. Lal's translation is clear and efficient, but some of the musicality and humor of the original French text is lost in the process. As an allegory for the treatment of refugees, the story lacks the subtlety and coherence of other titles. Portraying the refugees, but not their host, as animals may reinforce their otherness, and because the depiction of the animals that make up the broader community is superficial, younger readers may not understand their motivations. Yet, with additional context and substantial adult guidance, this tale might help older readers make sense of the topic. The girl has skin the white of the page. A quirky, poignant take on the refugee crisis, though one best introduced by sensitive caregivers or educators. (Picture book. 7-10) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Author notes provided by Syndetics

Alex Cousseau has published over eighty books for children in his native France. His works have been honored with many awards, including the Premio Andersen Prize in 2021 and the Bologna Ragazzi Fiction Award in 2018. The Brothers Zzli is Alex's English-language debut. Visit his website at alexcousseau.wordpress.com. Anne-Lise Boutin is a French artist and illustrator whose work is inspired by the mysterious and marvelous. She studied art at the Duperré Art School and at the Arts Décoratifs School, both in Paris. The Brothers Zzli is Anne-Lise's English-language debut. Follow her on Instagram @anneliseboutin. Vineet Lal is a literary translator of books from French to English, including A Perfect Spot and A Head Full of Birds (both Eerdmans). He studied French at Princeton University and the University of Edinburgh. Vineet lives in Scotland. Follow him on Twitter @vineet_uk.