Lesléa Newman, author of the classic Heather Has Two Mommies (and more than 70 other books), here brings her award-winning poetic skills to bear in a delightful rhyming tale about gender expression.
Friends Annabelle and Benjamin like to play dress-up together. Benjamin wants to be the bride, ballerina, and the princess, however—and while Annabelle gamely tries to be the groom, the lifting dancer, and the prince to complement his roles, we can see that she’s just not happy.
Benjamin, trying to be fair, offers her the princess crown, but this makes him sad. Then, he has the idea that they can both be princesses, and the two friends joyfully play together in spectacular matching princess gowns. Soon, several other friends of various gender expressions come to join them for a dance at their royal court.
I love that Newman didn’t go the perhaps more obvious route of having Annabelle be gender creative, too, and simply accepting the role of prince to Benjamin’s princess. Not that we don’t need books about gender creative girls; I just think it’s also important to show that some children may be gender creative while others express themselves in ways more traditionally associated with their gender. When everyone can be who they are, everyone in the land is happy. It’s an important lesson, conveyed with a light touch.
The illustrations by Joshua Heinsz perfectly highlight the story in pinks, purples, and other swirling pastel shades. Benjamin is White and blond; Annabelle has light tan skin and dark brown hair.
