Published: 25 February 2025
Publisher: Affirm Press
Illustrator: Scott Stuart
Pages: 32
Format: Picture Book
★ ★ ★ ★ – 4 Stars
An empowering rejection of gender stereotypes, this book unpacks the unconscious biases that hold us back from true equality.
Have you ever heard something that doesn’t sound true? Something that you know for a fact is false? It feels like a trick, doesn’t it?
Every day, we come across many tricks that keep the world from being a truly equal place. This book helps kids and their grown-ups to learn the tricks that are holding us all back so that together we can smash gender stereotypes and create positive change.
Less a story and more an educational guide this is a book that talks directly to the reader about things they have observed, experienced, or may come across in their lives in relation to the patriarchy and societal “rules”.
Calling it The Trick is a great way to explain to kids that society used to, and sometimes unfortunately still does, have rules and ideas on what men and women, boys and girls can/should be. And while we have gotten better at understanding all rules are made up and colour has no gender, there are a few people who will keep perpetuating these ideas, even if they don’t mean to.
Bain explains the patriarchy in a simple way that shows how a long time ago there were ideas set in place that were enforced but weren’t true. This covers everything from women couldn’t vote, men had to go to war, to men being bosses and women only being assistants.
This is the “trick” being addressed. Bain tells reader in non-judgemental ways, with very brief sentences that there are no rules on what you can wear or enjoy and it’s up to us to gently point it out when people get it wrong.
Like the xkcd Today’s Lucky 10 000 comic, this book treats the reader as someone who now knows people out there don’t know about the Trick and they must rectify this to make a more equal world. It isn’t about judgement or criticism, Bain directs it as more of an educational moment. There are examples of boys being picked on for playing tea parties or men trying to enforce the idea that they aren’t good in the kitchen, and the all-knowing kids able to teach them that anybody can do anything.
Scott Stuart is back, from My Shadow is… fame but this time as illustrator only. The design on the kids is diverse and creative. I loved spotting all the tiny details in the background and the different scenarios people may come across The Trick.
The story Bain has written is great and is a great balance on teaching kids about the world without being too preachy or detailed. It is a gentle introduction to the patriarchy and a great stepping off point for kids and adults that there are no girl colours, boy sports, exclusion isn’t nice, and people can like, do, and play whatever they want.
You can purchase Don’t Fall for the Trick via the following
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