Published: 15 June 2022
Publisher: Larrikan House US
Illustrator: Scott Stuart
Pages: 32
Format: Picture Book
★ ★ ★ ★ – 4 Stars
My Dad has a shadow that’s blue as a berry, and my Mom’s is as pink as a blossoming cherry. I love the shadow books because it is an easy to understand concept for kids and anyone unfamiliar with the different “shadow types”, but it’s also amazing because the differences are the shadows, not the people. The people are themselves, it’s only their shadows that are different. It doesn’t change who they are. Which of course might be me reading too much into it, but I just love the fact the differences are part of them but also not their whole being.
Even with this third colour option Stuart still shows different gender norms with blues being sentimental and pinks being strong. What’s great about this book too is it straight up says why can’t people be into all things? Why must they chose between the pinks and the blues? Why can’t they be into both trains and ballet shoes?
After our introduction the story follows the struggle with dealing with environments that are split into two options with no place for a third. The teacher coming over to acknowledge that our main character is different and yet still tells them they must choose a colour is another wonderful example of understanding but still forcing people into binary boxes.
Stuart shows readers that one brave voice to stand up for who they are can open the doors for others. It lets them reflect and acknowledge they too may not fit into the boxes the world has created, thereby creating a more welcoming and comfortable environment for all. Even after the proclamations of new shadows like green and brown there are still those who are blue and pink so Stuart also tells readers that you can reflect and challenge your own shadow colour and still end up with the default setting and there’s nothing wrong with that.
As a visual it’s a great introduction to the gender diversities and what people call ‘other’ and Stuart makes this another welcoming and simple explanation of gender diversity with a great story as well.
You can purchase My Shadow is Purple via the following
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