A bright and cheery alphabet book that not only features words and definitions specific to queer culture and identities (“gender,” “non-binary,” “out,” “trans,”) but also ones related to emotions (“acceptance,” “belonging,” “kindness,” “love”). The authors are thoughtful about keeping explanations simple for the age group but also about considering various aspects of LGBTQ identities. For example, under “Love,” they note that “not everyone falls in love,” a nod to aromantic identities; and the letter X is used to explain the pronoun “Xe.” Importantly for young readers, too, they include the word “Questioning,” noting “It’s okay not to know your gender and who you love or don’t love. Your feelings might change, too, and that’s okay.”
Some words that one might expect are not included—lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer—although under “Love,” we read, “You can love whoever you want—or no one.” The word “Trans” is included, though. As a cisgender lesbian, I’m perfectly okay with this. Children usually develop a sense of their gender before they develop one about their sexual (or romantic) identity, so giving them words related to gender first feels more important. Not that the words lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer should be hidden from them, but in a book like this, with only one word per letter, choosing love, gender, belonging, and questioning instead is just fine, especially since several images throughout the book depict same-sex couples, offering visual representation. Additionally, many adults are likely to be more familiar with terms related to sexual identity, and can explain them when they come across the pictures of same-sex couples; offering a definition for “trans” so that adult readers get it right feels more critical at this moment in time.
Simple discussion questions at the end, like “How are your friends different from you?” and “What rights would you march for?” will help parents, teachers, and caregivers use the book as a launching pad for further conversations.
The illustrations are lively and colorful, showing a wide range of diversity across LGBTQ and other aspects of identity. A happy addition to any young child’s bookshelf!
