A bright and affirming book, based on author Mark Kanemura’s own life, about being yourself regardless of gender norms.
Mark, the young protagonist, tells readers, “When I’m home with my family, I can be whoever I want to be!” He loves to dress up, design gowns for himself, and perform with his little sister for his parents. At school, however, some kids make fun of how he dresses, moves, and even how his voice sounds. “Being treated this way makes me want to disappear,” he says.
His parents tell him that the world is made of many colors, and his is unique. They give him a rainbow cape as a present, and in it, he feels like a superhero. He longs to share the feeling with others, and one day reaches out to a group of kids on the playground who look “fierce, fabulous, and fun” like him. They soon become friends, and with them, Mark feels “safe and free.” Even school isn’t so bad now that he knows they’ll be waiting for him.
One day, however, the cape disappears—along with Mark’s confidence. It takes his friends to remind him of who he is, cape or no. The last spread shows Mark dancing joyfully as he grows from child to adult, offering young readers an important glimpse of not just a happy queer childhood, but a happy queer adulthood as well.
Richard Merritt’s colorful and dynamic illustrations perfectly fit Mark’s colorful and expressive personality.
Kanemura, a social media star and dancer (So You Think You Can Dance) is of Japanese, Samoan, and European ancestry, as, presumably, is the Mark in the book. A letter from Kanemura to readers reinforces the “it gets better” message and assures them, “When you allow your unique light and the beautiful colors within you to dazzle, you will be unstoppable.” The book has a clear pedagogic intent, but that can sometimes be a good thing.
