A biography of Milk that emphasizes his friendship with Gilbert Baker, who designed the rainbow flag as a symbol of hope and inspiration.
The story begins with Milk dreaming of equality as a young man and carrying those dreams forward as he becomes an elected official. When he organizes a march “to protest inequality and unfair laws,” he seeks something that people may carry to give them a sense of hope and community. He reaches out to artist Gilbert Baker, who envisions a rainbow flag and enlists volunteers to create it.
Sanders deals as gently as possible with Milk’s death, noting that he and San Francisco mayor George Moscone were assassinated by a man who did not think, feel, or love like Harvey. He then explains that people continued to create the flags as a symbol of hope, pride, and equality. A brief afterward and timeline give further details for those who want them.
My one quibble is that Sanders merely tells us, “Harvey dreamed that everyone—even gay people—would have equality,” without saying what being gay means. The illustration does show Harvey and another man riding a tandem bicycle with a “Just Married” banner on the back, which helps, but adults who don’t already have the language to explain further (if needed) will need to find it elsewhere. (And “including gay people” might have been better than “even.”)
The only other picture book about Milk as of this writing, Kari Krakow’s 2002 The Harvey Milk Story [rereleased in 2022], goes into more detail about Milk’s life and work, making it best for the older end of the picture-book crowd. Sanders’ simpler version—more a snapshot than a full biography—and the inclusion of the colorful flag tale will appeal to slightly younger readers. So will the bright illustrations by Steven Salerno, showing the flag waving over crowds and being held by people of various gender identities, races, and physical abilities. This inspiring, positive story is a great introduction to two LGBTQ heroes and to the spirit of the LGBTQ community.
