Illustrated by Kaylani Juanita
5 stars
An adorable story about being a good sibling and helping to make a world where people can be themselves.
Growing up, Aidan didn’t feel like the girl people told him he was. Once he told his parents, they helped him let his true self shine. Now Mom and Dad say they are having another baby and Aidan wants to make sure that his new sibling doesn’t go through what he did. But he worries he won’t be able to get everything right. With the help of his parents, he learns about listening, fixing mistakes, and loving people as they are.
A great representation of what gender-affirming care looks like for children: allowing them to use the name, pronouns, clothing, hairstyles, and room decor that feels most like them.
I also love the way the story points out how gender is unnecessarily worked in to so many aspects of daily life and how Aidan and his family combat those assumptions..
The illustrations are so fun. Playful, sweet, and gender affirming.
Such an adorable book. Great themes about being yourself, not being afraid to admit mistakes, and advocating for yourself and others. A great story bursting with love.