Bo jantiyès / A Cheeky Greeting

Big cheeks. Small cheeks. Dimpled cheeks. Wrinkled cheeks. That’s a lot of cheeks to kiss hello.

In Bo jantiyès / A Cheeky Greeting, one child begins to wonder why greeting family seems to involve kissing so many cheeks — and whether all of those people are really family anyway.

Told in Haitian Kreyòl and English, this playful picture book explores a familiar Haitian tradition through a child’s wonderfully curious perspective, opening a larger conversation about family, connection, and the traditions that help us understand where we belong.

Written by children’s author Tico Armand and illustrated by Michelle Julmisse, Bo jantiyès / A Cheeky Greeting is part of Ansanm, Room to Read’s first Haitian Kreyòl-English children’s book collection in the United States, created in partnership with Educa Vision. The collection was distributed through First Book to educators and childcare providers across 44 states.

A joyful celebration of Haitian family, tradition, and all the cheeks that come with them. 

Discover the story behind A Cheeky Greeting →