A thoughtful and personal look at what it means to be non-binary, this book is one of a set of three titles by “champions” of the GenderCool Project, a youth-led movement of teens who are speaking out to show that transgender and non-binary youth can thrive. The books are part of the lauded A Kids Book About (AKBA) collection (named as one of Oprah’s Favorite Things 2020), which began in 2019 with A Kids Book About Racism, and continues with volumes on other important topics that can be challenging to discuss. The GenderCool series is aimed at children ages 5 to 9, but written by the teen champions, who share their personal stories as a way to open up conversations about gender, identity, and inclusion. Like the rest of the AKBA books, the GenderCool ones use bright colors and a variety of fonts rather than pictures, keeping the focus on the words and giving the books a conversational feel. All of the AKBA books also note, “This book is best read together, grownup and kid.”
Chinn-Raicht begins the book by introducing themselves and their pronouns, and noting “I’m non-binary and I’m a dancer.” This then lets them observe that when dancers perform in pairs, the pairs usually consist of a boy and a girl. “Because I’m non-binary, I get to play both roles and can partner with whomever I choose,” Chinn-Raicht writes, happily emphasizing the positive aspects of being non-binary. They go on to explain what being non-binary means to them and to share the various ways they express their gender, like starting the school day in traditionally feminine clothes and ending it in traditionally masculine ones. They emphasize, though, that “Non-binary means something different to everyone!” They also offer assurance to those who are struggling to understand gender identity and use the proper words. “It takes a lot of courage to mess up and keep trying!” they write.
Upbeat and informative, the book will likely appeal to both non-binary children themselves and to those seeking to understand them.
My interview with Hunger Chinn-Raicht.
See also A Kids Book About Gender, by Dale Mueller, for another book from the A Kids Book About collection by a non-binary person (albeit not one of the GenderCool champions).
