by Nancy Churnin ; illustrated by Izzy Evans ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 9, 2024
A purposeful yet poignant exploration of allyship.
A neighborhood comes together after a shocking act of vandalism.
In the town of Natick, Massachusetts, in a welcoming and supportive neighborhood, Cari and Lauri, an older lesbian couple, proudly put up a rainbow flag outside their home with the help of three local kids. One day, Cari and Lauri find their house egged and their rainbow flag missing in an apparent hate crime. Upset by this turn of events, the couple tell the kids that they don’t feel comfortable putting the flag back up. After spitballing ideas from building a wall around the home and keeping watch over the front porch to finding the culprits themselves and then egging their home, the children decide to give rainbow flags to everyone in the community; they in turn display them outside their own homes. This tale is based on a similar incident that happened in 2016 in the real town of Natick. While the ending may be tidy and pat, with some awkward phrasing, it’s an age-appropriate way to show young readers how to support those communities most in need of support. Despite the subject matter, optimism pervades both the text and Evans' sunny illustrations. Backmatter includes an author’s note and a basic primer on how to be an LGBTQ+ ally. Cari and Lauri are light-skinned; their community is a diverse one.
A purposeful yet poignant exploration of allyship. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: July 9, 2024
ISBN: 9781506488448
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beaming Books
Review Posted Online: April 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2024
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by Chana Ginelle Ewing ; illustrated by Paulina Morgan ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 3, 2019
Adults will do better skipping the book and talking with their children.
Social-equity themes are presented to children in ABC format.
Terms related to intersectional inequality, such as “class,” “gender,” “privilege,” “oppression,” “race,” and “sex,” as well as other topics important to social justice such as “feminism,” “human being,” “immigration,” “justice,” “kindness,” “multicultural,” “transgender,” “understanding,” and “value” are named and explained. There are 26 in all, one for each letter of the alphabet. Colorful two-page spreads with kid-friendly illustrations present each term. First the term is described: “Belief is when you are confident something exists even if you can’t see it. Lots of different beliefs fill the world, and no single belief is right for everyone.” On the facing page it concludes: “B is for BELIEF / Everyone has different beliefs.” It is hard to see who the intended audience for this little board book is. Babies and toddlers are busy learning the names for their body parts, familiar objects around them, and perhaps some basic feelings like happy, hungry, and sad; slightly older preschoolers will probably be bewildered by explanations such as: “A value is an expression of how to live a belief. A value can serve as a guide for how you behave around other human beings. / V is for VALUE / Live your beliefs out loud.”
Adults will do better skipping the book and talking with their children. (Board book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-78603-742-8
Page Count: 52
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
Review Posted Online: Sept. 23, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2019
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by Patty Michaels ; illustrated by Ruth Barrows ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 14, 2025
Colorful, upbeat, and just for Swifties.
What is being a Swiftie all about? Finding joy in the things you love!
For Taylor Swift and her fans, love comes from baking tasty desserts, snuggling with pets, enjoying fireworks with friends, and attending concerts. Vibrant illustrations that evoke bright pop music are scattered with references to Taylor’s life, such as a red sports jersey (a nod to her high-profile relationship with a certain Kansas City Chiefs tight end) or a stack of friendship bracelets (which devotees know are commonly made by hand and traded at Swift’s concerts). Without this prior knowledge of Swift lore, this peppy picture book may feel like a somewhat superficial, though positive, list of ways to find happiness; some readers may wish the author had included messages about acceptance and self-love, commonly found in Swift’s lyrics. Still, the intended audience will welcome it as a joyful love letter to her fans. Pops of color splash across scenes of Taylor and a racially diverse set of friends doing their favorite things atop a stark white background. The star’s recognizable fashion style and facial features are spot-on, while most other featured characters feel more generic.
Colorful, upbeat, and just for Swifties. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Jan. 14, 2025
ISBN: 9781665973519
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Simon Spotlight
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2024
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