Happy International Pronouns Day! My pronouns are she/her. To celebrate the day, here are some kids’ books, music, and games all about pronouns and how to use them respectfully—good for any time of year!
The below books are ones that focus primarily on pronouns. There are many other books that look more broadly at gender identity and expression and that may include discussions of pronouns in them. You can find them in my Database with the “Gender identity/expression” tag.
Click any of the names below for more details and longer reviews on any of the items.
Books
- They She He Me: Free to Be! by Maya Gonzalez and Matthew SG (Reflection Press) is a beautifully illustrated book exploring and expanding ideas about pronouns and gender. Each spread offers a pronoun and beautiful images of people with differing gender expressions. It starts with “me”—a nice touch to connect with the reader, and proceeds to he, she, they, ze, and even “tree” (a nod to their later suggestion that readers can create their own pronouns). They finish with the community of “we.” Six pages at the end give simple, affirming explanations about pronouns.
- They, She, He Easy as ABC, also by the same two authors, shows an alphabet of friends dancing their way from A to Ze. Each letter introduces us to another child (most of whom are children of color) with a different dance and pronouns.
- What Are Your Words? A Book About Pronouns, by Katharine Locke and illustrated by Anne Passchier (Little Brown) stars a nonbinary child named Ari, who is excited for the visit of Uncle Lior, who uses they/them pronouns and helps Ari to find pronouns that fit, too. Pronouns are presented as one of many types of words that can be used to describe oneself. I love the message that finding one’s words is a journey and not necessarily a linear one, and that we each must find our own words.
- Jacob’s School Play: Starring He, She, and They, by Sarah and Ian Hoffman, illustrated by Chris Case (Magination Press), brings us the gender-creative children we met in Jacob’s New Dress and Jacob’s Room to Choose, and introduces a new character who uses “they” pronouns. Jacob learns the difference between what one wears and who one is on the inside, and how everyone has the right to choose their own pronouns.
- The Pronoun Book: She, He, They and Me, by Cassandra Jules Corrigan and illustrated by Jem Milton (Jessica Kingsley Press), out November 15 but available for preorder, revolves around two main characters, Ellie, a younger child, and Casey, an older one, who talk directly to readers about pronouns and gender, offering examples from other characters along the way. The book’s conversational tone is engaging and warm, with helpful example dialogs, but some of its explanations could be clearer.
- Jamie and Bubbie: A Book About People’s Pronouns, by Afsaneh Moradian and illustrated by Maria Bogade (Free Spirit Publishing), is a sequel to the duo’s Jamie Is Jamie, but either can be read independently. Here, Jamie’s Bubbie comes for a visit, but mistakenly misgenders several of the people they meet on their neighborhood walk. Jamie, a child whose gender is never specified, knows everyone’s correct genders and pronouns, though, and gently informs Bubbie, who is receptive to the feedback.
- A Quick & Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns, by Archie Bongiovanni and Tristan Jimerson (Limerence Press) is aimed at older teens but is so useful I’m going to include it here. It’s a collaboration between the genderqueer Archie Bongiovanni and cisgender man Tristan Jimerson, who appear in the book as illustrated versions of themselves. This great little volume gives us education without pedantry or patronization, making a serious topic into a fun read. It models allyship but also speaks to genderqueer people themselves. There’s a high level of snark, though; adults should assess whether that’s appropriate for younger readers.
Music
- “What’s Your Name?” by Canadian singer-songwriter Mandy Morris is about meeting a new friend and respectfully asking what their name and pronouns are. Verses show what to do if one accidentally misgenders someone, and offer an example of why using the right pronouns is respectful.
- Two tracks from The Trans and Nonbinary Kids Mix album emphasize pronouns (though all of the tracks are good): “Call Them ‘They’,” by Emily Joy, and “They?/?Them (Interlude)” from The Alphabet Rockers, “a tapestry of voices of the many artists on the album sharing their pronouns and reflections.”
Games
- Playing with Pronouns, from Maya Gonzalez and Matthew SG at Reflection Press, is an educational card deck designed to counter gender stereotypes and offer kids an opportunity for self expression—all through a variety of fun games!
