Jacob and Emily are running to the dress-up corner at school to find something to put on. What will they be today? A dinosaur? A knight? A princess? Jacob finds a sparkly pink dress and wiggles into it. Emily slides into a shiny yellow dress. Jacob reaches for the crown first and tells Emily, "I'll be the princess today."
Off they go to play but one boy, Christopher, gets mad when he sees Jacob wearing a dress. Seems Christopher's father has told him that "Boys don't wear dresses."
How do Jacob's parents answer him when he asks them, "Can I wear a dress to school?"
This is a story about a gender nonconforming child. We get to stand in Jacob's shoes and see how it feels inside of him when he is asking to be himself and waiting to hear if he will be told he is right the way he is or not. There's a feeling that comes over him while he waits. "The longer she didn't answer the less Jacob could breathe."
Every child deserves to breathe. Every child deserves to be respected and honored for who he or she is. This is a brave and much-needed book that shows the way for adults and children alike.
"There are different ways to be a boy."
Keyword: Self-respect; respecting difference;
978-0807563731 Ages 4-9 32 pages
Recommended by: Barb Langridge, abookandahug.com
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Jacob loves playing dress-up, when he can be anything he wants to be. Some kids at school say he can't wear "girl" clothes, but Jacob wants to wear a dress to school. Can he convince his parents to let him wear what he wants? This heartwarming story speaks to the unique challenges faced by boys who don't identify with traditional gender roles.-from the publisher.
