“Not every princess lives in a castle,” begins this gentle book about not being bound by societal expectations. And “Not every pirate sails ships.” A superhero might not fly; sometimes, as we see from the illustration, being a hero might simply mean rescuing a kitten. Not all mermaids swim, and not all knights (some of whom are female) fight dragons. Inside one’s mind are all the tools one needs to be strong, smart, brave, and sweet, and to use one’s imagination and dream.
There’s no overt queer inclusion here (although in one image of a ballet dancer holding up another, one dancer’s gender could be seen as ambiguous, making this a possibly queer pair), but the book’s quiet subversion of traditional gender roles and behaviors, with images of boy fairies, girl knights and pirates, kind boys, and athletic girls, offers a reminder that we can forge our own paths, regardless of gender. The American Library Association chose it as a starred title for its 2015 Rainbow Book List, indicating a definite appeal to readers seeking queer-inclusive books. It is certainly “queering” gender at the very least.
Backmatter includes a Note to Parents and Caregivers with tips for helping children play and imagine in ways that go beyond gender stereotypes—useful stuff, as expected from the publisher, Magination Press, the children’s publishing division of the American Psychological Association.
