THE BI BOOK

On a day at the beach, two children discover words that start with the prefix bi.

“Many words that start with ‘bi’ mean two,” Irving informs readers. The kids in Alonso’s illustrations watch a biennial plant grow, then ride bicycles with their grown-ups to the seaside. Legs outstretched, the youngsters proudly proclaim themselves to be bipeds, watch a whale through a pair of binoculars, and explore bivalve sea creatures and the concept of bilateral symmetry in butterflies. Other families at the beach introduce the terms bilingual and biracial. Irving closes with a bi word that “can mean ‘more than two’”: bisexuality, since “bi hearts love in a rainbow of ways.” Some of the concepts will be a bit abstract for young readers. A much-needed glossary goes into further detail and may allay some confusion; children and their adults will need to put in some work to understand these terms, but those interested in finding connections between words and concepts will be intrigued. The book’s soft, powdery illustrations rely heavily on the iconic pink, purple, and blue of the bi flag, particularly in the final spread, which shows silhouetted figures on the beach as the sun sets, with the phrase “Bi is beautiful” written in the sky. One of the children has dirty blond hair and pale skin, while the other has curly pigtails and light brown skin.

Potentially perplexing, though rewarding for the right reader—and empowering for all.