As a digital subscriber, you’ll receive unlimited access to Horn Book web exclusives and extensive archives, as well as access to our highly searchable Guide/Reviews Database.
To access other site content, visit The Horn Book homepage.
To continue you need an active subscription to hbook.com.
Subscribe now to gain immediate access to everything hbook.com has to offer, as well as our highly searchable Guide/Reviews Database, which contains tens of thousands of short, critical reviews of books published in the United States for young people.
Thank you for registering. To have the latest stories delivered to your inbox, select as many free newsletters as you like below.
No thanks. Return to article
40 pp.
| Little |
May, 2021 |
TradeISBN 978-0-316-54206-7$17.99
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Anne Passchier.
Ari's uncle Lior uses they/them pronouns; neighbor Anna "had a different name and used different pronouns. But now she goes by Anna and uses she and her..." For Ari, however, "My pronouns are like the weather. They change depending on how I feel." On this particular day, Ari is frustrated by not knowing which pronouns feel right. "She and her feel sharp and crackly"; "Ey and eir feel heavy and bumpy." The stylized cartoon illustrations show the characters with their pronouns and other descriptive words, so neighbor Robin is crowned with "Artistic! Sweet! Kind! Ze/Zir!" If things get a bit convoluted in this purposeful story--"Uncle Lior says hello and tells zir their words too"--the art helps sort things out. This story offers lots of opportunities for exploring beyond the binary.