Starred Review ALA Booklist (Wed Jul 05 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Starred Review This vibrantly illustrated abecedary from the owners of stationary company Ash + Chess (a queer, trans couple) reminds readers of all ages that a gender identity is whatever a person wants theirs to be. The book employs a standard format, with each page featuring one letter, represented by one boldface word in a sentence describing a scene, all of which include one or more characters partaking in an everyday activity (for J, "Palmer smiles joyously when they see a new friend at the park"). Full-bleed illustrations in a retro, 1970s palette presents a distinct, vibrant, unapologetically in-your-face world, populated with people of every shape, color, and size. To counter stereotypes, masculine characters are labeled as "nurturing" and "affectionate," feminine ones as "tough" and "protective," and nonbinary or gender-fluid ones as "gentle" and "joyous." It's often challenging to discern which character is being referenced in a given illustration intentional and effective choice meant to broaden perspectives. The wide expanse of emotions, activities, settings, and walks of life will spark readers' imaginations while also encouraging them to think outside the box and the binaries when it comes to gender. A fun and incredibly inclusive primer that will open the door for important conversations with kids about identity and who they want to be in their daily lives.

Kirkus Reviews

An ABC book that challenges gender norms.Each page depicts a child who embodies a different characteristic, usually one not stereotypically associated with their gender: For B: "Mohammad likes to do makeup and get beautiful with his sister." For M: "Ximena is mighty and strong. She lifted her friend's bike when it got stuck in the mud!" The message that kids can and should reject rigid gender roles is important, but the book misses the mark. The words chosen to represent each letter include adjectives, verbs, adverbs, and nouns, and their placement within the text is random-sometimes toward the end of a sentence, other times in the middle-which makes the alphabet-book connection feel tenuous. Eye-catching, at times visually overwhelming, illustrations feature a strongly '70s-inspired psychedelic aesthetic and palette, but several images are perplexing. On one page, a child rides a motor scooter instead of a kick scooter-without a helmet. On another, a child using a wheelchair is depicted teetering dangerously on a winner's podium that is not wheelchair accessible. Wordy, at times clunky, and somewhat didactic, the text likely won't engage readers, though it does offer a good starting point to discussions of gender. The characters are diverse in terms of gender identity and expression (some use they/them pronouns), ability, and race. (This book was reviewed digitally.)Offers a much-needed takeaway-if kids can make it through to the end. (Picture book. 4-7)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Molesso and Needham, the creators behind stationery company Ash + Chess, employ bold colors and psychedelic patterns for an abecedarian that describes a cast portrayed with varying abilities and skin tones. Each page associates a letter of the Latin alphabet with a descriptor, and many establish the characters’ pronouns. Q, for example, represents “queen”: “Ari likes to dress up like a queen with his sibling.” A page later, R stands for “roughly”: “Yuriko doesn’t mind playing roughly with her dog.” While some pages represent activities and reactions that stretch across traditional gender roles, others (“energetic” and “focused,” for example) feel solidly neutral, exemplifying how binary gender roles are stuck in the past. Good-vibes graphics that incorporate the colors of the Pride and trans flags show affectionate figures interacting, emphasizing the empowering message of the book’s dedication: “To everyone out there who has found the courage to be themselves and to those who have yet to.” Ages 4–8. (May)