Two delightful new LGBTQ-inclusive picture books highlight the powerful things that can happen when people are allowed to express their genders as they wish: One stars a gender creative child with a fondness for hats; the other stars a real-life LGBTQ icon who has long deserved a picture-book biography.
Click titles or images for full reviews!
Mac Wears a Hat, by Vicki Johnson, illustrated by Gillian Reid (Little Bee): The creative team behind Molly’s Tuxedo bring us another cheery ode to self-expression and kindness, this time starring Mac, who loves hats! Whether they’re for sunny days, practicing guitar, or wearing to the Pride parade, Mac has a hat for every occasion. And when Mac is feeling “down in the dumps,” then her hat acts as an “all-day head hug” and a hiding place.
Conversely, when someone praises her hats or her style, she feels a “zing” and a “zip” like she can be herself and do anything. Mac then celebrates hats for every type of day and for playing boisterously with friends. The book concludes by expressing that kindness makes everyone’s hearts go “zing,” and “together . . . we can do anything!
This is an absolutely delightful book that not only celebrates individual flair, but also showcases the power of being kind and letting everyone express their personal style. It’s what underlies the community’s ability to be a community.
Mac is actually never gendered in the book, but the publisher’s blurb refers to her with she/her pronouns, and other cues also imply that she is intended to be a gender creative girl (as I explain more in the full review). Readers can really interpret Mac as they wish; the book’s message about being kind and celebrating one’s individual style is important for children of all genders. Gender creative girls (and women) may find Mac particularly appealing, though.
Johnson and Reid have created yet another highly recommended title, conveying an important message with both thoughtfulness and fun. My hat’s off to them.
What Kind of Queen? A Royal Biography of Drag Queen and Activist José Sarria, by Kyle Casey Chu and Andrew W. Shaffer, illustrated by Cindy Lozito (Abrams): “Once upon a time, in a land called San Francisco, there lived a boy named José who dreamed of royalty,” begins this lively biography. We first see Sarria as a young child, where his family happily supported his playing like a queen. His mother cautioned him, though, that “Some believe boys shouldn’t be queens at all,” but also encouraged him to think about the kind of queen he would be and the mark he would make on the world.
Make a mark he does, as the first openly gay candidate to run for public office in the United States, and as the inspiration and mentor for other drag queens to dedicate themselves to a life of service. (An Author’s Note explains that Sarria founded the International Imperial Court System, which still exists as one of the world’s oldest and largest LGBTQ organizations.)
Chu (aka drag queen Panda Dulce) and Shaffer have created a captivating biography that gives young readers just the right amount of detail about Sarria’s life to convey his personality and significance, but not so much as to overwhelm. The book happily never lets go of Sarria’s initial assertion that he is a queen, which is treated as an absolutely reasonable, fundamental part of his identity. Dynamic illustrations by Cindy Lozito, too, fit the exuberance of Sarria’s life. It’s a highly recommended title with a verve to match that of its subject.