Phoenix Goes to School: A Story to Support Transgender and Gender Diverse Children - Paul's REVIEW

*I received this book as an eARC from Jessica Kingsley Publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

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Title: Phoenix Goes to School: A Story to Support Transgender and Gender Diverse Children
Authors: Michelle Finch & Phoenix Finch
Upcoming Release Date: July 19, 2018

Synopsis: My Mommy tells me I'm perfect and to be brave.

"You know who you are," she says,

"Just be yourself and always listen to your heart."

With those words of encouragement from her Mom, Phoenix is preparing for her first day of school. She is excited but scared of being bullied because of her gender identity and expression. Yet when she arrives at school she finds help and support from teachers and friends, and finds she is brave enough to talk to other kids about her gender!

This is an empowering and brightly-illustrated children's book for children aged 3+ to help children engage with gender identity in a fun, uplifting way. It supports trans children who are worried about being bullied or misunderstood. 

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Review: This picture book is a cute, short story about a girl being nervous about how people will react when she wears a dress to school. A young girl and her mother wrote this story together about their own personal experiences. In addition to the story, there are also resources included with the book. There are questions to use to initiate a conversation with children about gender. There are also resources for adults and parents about trans issues.

There is plenty of colorful artwork in this picture book. Phoenix is relatable to any child. The fact that this book was written by a daughter and her mother makes it even more adorable. I give this picture book a 5/5.


--PAUL