Using a line from Madeleine L’Engle’s classic A Wrinkle in Time as a jumping off point, this free-verse book is a call for girls not only to stay angry at things that need changing, but also to embrace being sensitive, stubborn, curious, loud, kind, and playful—in other words, to be themselves. Each spread focuses on a different emotion and shows a different girl expressing it, sometimes with family or friends.
The spread that begins “Stay stubborn, little girl,” shows a two-mom family watching a TV news report about anti-LGBTQ+ bills, then shows them marching defiantly with a group of people holding LGBTQ-affirming signs like “Love is Love,” “LGBTQ+ Rights Are Human Rights,” and “Protect Trans Kids.” On a later page, which depicts all of the characters volunteering at their local park, the girl and one of her moms are painting a rainbow-colored, heart-shaped sign that says “All are welcome here.”
An affirming and highly recommended book that should open up lots of further discussions about staying true to oneself while also creating positive change in the world.
The characters reflect a variety of racial/ethnic identities.
