THE RAINBOW PARADE

LGBTQ+ advocates Jordan and Hendrix urge readers to celebrate their unique selves.

Everyone has a rainbow, “made up of all the things that make you happy.” As the book begins, a pale-skinned, black-haired child takes part in a variety of activities: having a bubble bath, trying on different clothes (including overalls and a dress), and attending a Pride parade alongside adults of various races, abilities, and gender expressions. The mood shifts as the protagonist notices a sad-looking child curled up amid gray rain clouds. “Everyone has their own rainbow, but not everyone feels comfortable letting theirs shine,” we’re told. Readers are reminded “that the sun will appear again soon” and that rainbows appear “when the sun shines through the rain.” Though rainbows and other queer symbols are everywhere in Chen’s dreamy, color-strewn artwork, the text sticks to generalities. Pride is described as “the feeling that wraps around you like a cozy hug” and “when you are loved for being yourself.” It’s a laudable, reassuring sentiment, but without context from adults, young readers won’t grasp the message that all LGBTQ+ identities should be celebrated, though backmatter fills in some gaps. The jewel-toned illustrations are engaging and bright, but the tale’s many platitudes (“Just be true to who you are!”) leave the book feeling cliched.

In this story, rainbows feel like an overworked symbol rather than a genuine mark of Pride.