picture book | Lost in a Good Book

Sam Is My Sister by Ashley Rhodes-Courter

09 Jun 2023 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, LGBTQIA, The Picture Book Corner Tags: ashley rhodes-courter, children's picture book, four stars, lgbt, LGBTQIA, mackenzie haley, picture book

Published: March 23 2021
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
Illustrator: MacKenzie Haley
Pages: 32
Format: Picture Book
★ ★ ★ ★ – 4 Stars

Based on a true story this is a great book about a young boy discovering his sister is transgender. The focus of the story is on Evan and his understanding and it was great to have a book that explores the adjustment phase when a sibling transitions and how it can be confusing. Books with trans protagonists are important but I love that it’s acknowledged that it can be hard for siblings to understand at first, especially when kids are young.

Rhodes-Courter’s examples and explanations are perfect and she uses kid friendly terms that help them understand. Reading the author note in the back revealed this is based on her own experience with her children which adds another level of support knowing that there are a variety of experiences out there for families with transgender children. One thing I loved from her note was the acknowledgement that because society is speaking openly about gender now it’s allowing kids to find their voices sooner.

Evan’s understanding and shift of language through the book is gradual and it was great to see his support as he comes to understand his sister’s feelings. There is no immediate happily ever after in every case but as the story is about Evan his progress is the main focus and his support is the most important thing. I also love how Rhodes-Courter uses binary language to show how Sam feels different without ever making her feel excluded. It was wonderful to see the adults always having a solution and being supportive with compromises in various situations.

Haley’s illustrations are realistic and detailed. The blend between reality and the children’s imaginations is beautiful and seeing their games expressed on the page was a fun detail.

Overall it was a great book. It is a bit wordy but the explanations and the storyline require it as it helps fully grasp what is happening and how the dynamic has shifted in the family. It never felt drawn out and it’s engaging all the way through and is a wonderful story for everyone to enjoy.

You can purchase Sam Is My Sister via the following

QBD | Booktopia | Book Depository

Dymocks | Angus and Robinson

Fishpond | Amazon | Amazon Aust

My Maddy by Gayle E. Pitman

02 Jun 2023 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, LGBTQIA, The Picture Book Corner Tags: children's picture book, four stars, gayle e. pitman, lgbt, LGBTQIA, non-binary, picture book, violet tobacco

Published: 25th May 2020
Publisher: Magination Press
Illustrator: Violet Tobacco
Pages: 32
Format: Picture Book
★ ★ ★ ★ – 4 Stars

Most mommies are girls. Most daddies are boys. But lots of parents are neither a boy nor a girl. Like my Maddy.

My Maddy has hazel eyes which are not brown or green. And my Maddy likes sporks because they are not quite a spoon or a fork.

Some of the best things in the world are not one thing or the other. They are something in between and entirely their own.

I was so glad to discover this book because while there are a growing number of picture books about trans kids and parents, I was curious about whether the non-binary community were given representation as well.

The story is incredible sweet, it’s a gentle slow read about a young child and their “Maddy”, a person who is presented as non-binary. I loved the opening line about how most mummies are girls and most daddies are boys because right away it already opens up the acknowledgement of a gender spectrum on parents.

Many elements of Maddy are a mixture; their eyes, their hair, a combination of two different things coming together to make them who they are. It’s not only Maddy’s appearance though, Pitman frequently uses the ‘in-between’ to show that wonderful things don’t have to be one thing or another and the spaces between can be their own beautiful thing.

Tobacco’s illustrations are great and I loved the use of colour, especially recognisable colours of the non-binary flag in Maddy’s clothes as well as pride slogans and posters around the house. The full page illustrations are full of bright colours and I love how Maddy and our child narrator are shown interacting with the world around them – their expressions, their actions, and even the unique angles and perspectives of the pictures are interesting.

This is a great story about a loving family and their unique look at the world of in-between spaces and how many things are neither one thing or another if you look closely enough.

You can purchase My Maddy via the following

Booktopia | Book Depository

Dymocks | Angus and Robinson

Fishpond | Amazon | Amazon Aust

Blob by Anne Appert

10 Mar 2023 Leave a comment

by Amy in 3 Stars, The Picture Book Corner Tags: anne appert, children's picture book, picture book, three stars

Published: 14th September 2021
Publisher: HarperCollins
Illustrator: Anne Appert
Pages: 32
Format: Picture Book
★ ★ ★ – 3 Stars

Blob is a creature of indeterminate kind. Blob can be a giraffe, cotton candy, and even an octopus. It’s not until a negligent (albeit well-meaning) narrator continuously calls them “Bob” that Blob starts to question who they really are.

After a series of funny yet enlightening discoveries about all the possible things they can be, Blob realizes that the best thing to be is…

Blob.

(With the L.)

The story is written as a dialogue between Blob and the narrator alongside cute illustrations. The story follows our introduction to Blob as they demonstrate all the wonderful things they can turn into as well as work out who they want to be.

It’s funny be also endearing to watch Blob’s journey of self-discovery and Appert’s illustrations are creative and charming which show off a lot of Blob’s personality. I love Blob’s design and the way the illustrations are laid out on the page adds to the story.

I liked that Blob stands up to the narrator as they keep getting things wrong and presuming things about them. Appert shows that there’s still time to find out what you want to be and to have the courage to go after it. It’s a deceptively simple story but one that shows taking chances and standing up for who you are despite what other people say you are is always worth the risk.

You can purchase Blob via the following

QBD | Booktopia | Book Depository

Dymocks | Wordery | Angus and Robinson

Fishpond | Amazon | Amazon Aust

My Own Way by Joana Estrela Translated by Jay Hulme

03 Mar 2023 Leave a comment

by Amy in 5 Stars, The Picture Book Corner Tags: children's picture book, five stars, gender identity, jay hulme, joana estrela, lgbt, LGBTQIA, picture book

Published: 1st March 2022
Publisher: Wide Eyed Editions
Illustrator: Joana Estrela
Translator: Jay Hulme
Pages: 40
Format: Picture Book
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ – 5 Stars

Small children are often asked to choose between a gendered binary–”boy” or “girl”, “pink” or “blue”. This colorful picture book smashes these stereotypes and encourages the reader to follow their own way!

“Girl or Boy?”
What brings you joy?
“Pink or blue?”
It’s up to you.

With vibrant illustrations and concise, poetic text, this powerful book teaches young children that there are no limits in what you can do and who you can be. You are unique!

Translated from the original Portuguese by award-winning transgender poet Jay Hulme, My Own Way is an important, timely, and beautiful celebration of identity, difference, and respect.

I picked this book up with reasonable expectations but I wasn’t expecting it to be as profound and lovely as I did. There are sometimes only three words on a page but they are impactful words. The story reminds the reader that it’s up to them to decide who they want to be. It starts off familiarly with the choice of blue or pink, girl or boy, emphasising what brings you joy is most important.

There’s wonderful messages that whether man or woman you should be as kind as you can, also that boy and girl doesn’t cover everyone and you might be both or none. I love that a book with such simple text can actually be more impactful than a story where a child is exploring their identity through a plot. Those are amazing as well, but I loved the simplicity of this.

There are fantastic lines like “your truth isn’t hidden underneath your clothes” and “your truth is something only you can know”. Kids should be told they can be and feel however they want and it’s ok, that there’s more to them than whether they are a boy or a girl and Estrela and Hulme do that beautifully. There is also a great message that it’s up to each person to say who they are and no one else.

The pictures are simple and minimal on character detail but they accompany the words well. Full page and brightly coloured they stand out with unusual colour combinations as well as great symbolic use that colours don’t always match the people society expects them to match.

With only a few words there is a lot of important lessons being learnt and I’m amazed that so much can be said with so few words and I applaud Estrela and Hulme for presenting it so well.

You can purchase My Own Way via the following

QBD | Booktopia | Book Depository

Dymocks | Wordery | Angus and Robinson

Fishpond | Amazon | Amazon Aust

Rodney Was A Tortoise by Nan Forler

10 Feb 2023 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, The Picture Book Corner Tags: children's picture book, four stars, nan forler, picture book, yong ling kang

Published: 15th February 2022
Publisher: Tundra Books
Illustrator: Yong Ling Kang
Pages: 40
Format: Picture Book
★ ★ ★ ★ – 4 Stars

Bernadette and Rodney are the best of friends. Rodney’s not so good at playing cards, but he’s great at staring contests. His favorite food is lettuce, though he eats it VERRRRRRY SLOOOOOWLY. And he’s such a joker! When Bernadette goes to sleep at night, Rodney is always there, watching over her from his tank.

As the seasons pass, Rodney moves slower and slower, until one day he stops moving at all. Without Rodney, Bernadette feels all alone. She can’t stop thinking about him, but none of her friends seem to notice. Except for Amar.

With a title like this you know going in it’s going to make you sad, and yet I persevered. I’m glad I did because it is a beautiful story Forler has created about acknowledging that even though Rodney isn’t a conventional pet, or one you could play with in the traditional sense, he still was a pet and Bernadette had all of the same feelings that go with that.

Kang’s illustrations are absolutely adorable. The expressions on Rodney’s face is delightful and the pictures of him and Bernadette having fun together are beautiful and simple watercolours. The watercolours vary from small pictures beside relevant text to full page or double page spreads. I liked how the pictures changed size for their purpose and Rodney was kept as realistic as possible even in all of Bernadette’s activities.

Forler describes grief in a way children can understand, the feeling of hurt in your stomach that won’t go away, and feeling sad that the normal things you would do are different. The symbolism of Bernadette going into her shell is clever and it’s great how Forler uses Amar as an outside force to get Bernadette to come back to the world.

The ending is simple and sweet and Forler doesn’t feel the need to explain anything to the reader. It’s a bitter sweet tale of old friends and new friends and finding a new path after losing someone you loved.

You can purchase Rodney Was A Tortoise via the following

QBD | Booktopia | Book Depository

Dymocks | Wordery | Angus and Robinson

Fishpond | Amazon | Amazon Aust