I AM A RAINBOW!

So You Think You Can Dance? star Kanemura tells a story about his younger self.

When Mark, a flamboyant, tan-skinned child, is at home with his adoring family, he’s celebrated for his love of performance and dressing up. But at school, he’s teased by cruel classmates. His attentive parents give him a shimmering rainbow cape, with the affirmation that “The world is a rainbow made up of a billion colors. And your color is totally unique.” The cape gives Mark his confidence back, enabling him to befriend a racially diverse group of “fierce, fabulous, and fun” kids he meets at a playground. But the cape goes missing, and Mark fears that his new crew will drop him. Instead, they affirm him, and the power of friendship inspires Mark “to be a rainbow cape that helps others realize the light inside of them, too.” The final spread, highlighting Merritt’s busy, color-bursting illustrations, shows Mark growing up to be an unapologetically bold and fearless adult. Young fans of Kanemura will be delighted by this narrative, which appears to be set in his native Honolulu, and adults can learn a lot from the protagonist’s supportive family. Still, the plot is a bit too thin to make it stand out from the pack of self-acceptance offerings. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Joyful, though it doesn’t quite live up to its exuberant main character.