Some picture books that try to debunk the stereotypes that pink is for girls and blue is for boys unfortunately end up reinforcing a gender binary. This book, however, avoids that trap by focusing solely on pink—which, let’s face it, causes more problems (harassment or worse) for boys than blue does for children of any gender.
In the story, a group of kids on a rainy day opens a large pink toybox/treasure chest full of pink things—hats, wigs, clothing, and more. They happily dress up as aliens and astronauts, cow-herders and circus clowns, dancers and dragons, all with pink accoutrements. None of the children are gendered, and some seem gender ambiguous (they could be nonbinary, but none are labeled).
Udayana Lugo’s drawings are dynamic and fun. The children represent a range of racial and ethnic identities. One wears a Sikh patka and another uses a wheelchair.
Author Ella Russell gently acknowledges the concerns around pink by noting, “There are those who find pink puzzling. They sometimes even wonder … Who is pink for?” Instead of preaching, however, the story joyously just goes on to show the kids as painters, party-goers, and palace-dwellers, all wearing pink.
But wait. “Pink is not for everybody,” we are warned. Who is it not for? “Anybody who doesn’t like pink!” we learn, as we see a pet cat, who has patiently submitted to being dressed up by the children, take off a pink bow tie and substitute a green one. Bow ties, we learn, are for cats. “(Or anybody who likes to wear one.)”
The message is lightly done, but no less powerful for it.
