There are already several good collective biographies/profiles of LGBTQ people for middle grade readers, but this one stands out for its overarching structure and the wide range of people in it. Each of its 52 entries, one for each week, is tied to a particular season, event, international day, or the like, and highlights a person who embodies that observance in some way. For the International Day of Education, we read about educator and historian Blair Imani; for Global Movie Day, it is actor Stephen Fry; for the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, material scientist Dr. Clara Barker.
The people chosen reflect the book’s U.K. origins, but are all contemporary figures who should be of interest to readers in the U.S. and elsewhere as well, who may appreciate widening their horizons. They have a wide range of occupations, including singer, actor, farmer, veterinarian, detective, lawyer, writer, artist, magician, and train driver.
Every person shares a little about themself on one page of each full-color spread, while the facing page offers additional advices and activities based on the person’s expertise or interests. On the facing page for Olympic diver Tom Daley, for example (World Knit in Public Day), we see “Tom’s Favorite Things to Knit,” reflecting his long-time hobby. On the facing page for entrepreneur Kortney Ryan Ziegler (World Gratitude Day) is “Kortney’s Guide to Finding Joy in Small Moments.” Dr. Jo Hartland (World Health Day) offers “Dr. Jo’s Guide to Well-Being,” and so on. While this is a middle grade title, it is fully illustrated, with the illustrations not only depicting the people profiled, but also adding fun and clarity to the facing-page tips.
If you’re looking for a book of collective biographies/profiles about LGBTQ people, but want something different from the usual list of LGBTQ icons (who already have several titles to their names), this is a highly recommended choice. Young people should enjoy reading along over the course of a year, but may be so engaged that they go through it even faster.
