Two intrepid librarians

Two intrepid librarians review the best nonfiction books for children

Friday, September 2, 2022

If You're a Kid Like Gavin words by Gavin Grimm and Kyle Lukoff

 

If You're a Kid Like Gavin: the True Story of a Young Trans Activist 
Words by Gavin Grimm
and Kyle Lukoff;
Illustrations by J Yang
Katherine Tegen Books.
An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. 2022

In this simply told powerful and empowering informational picture book memoir readers meet Gavin Grimm. "When you're a kid like Gavin Grimm, you know yourself best." Gavin knew he was a boy even though others saw him as a girl. His family supported his decision to trans to boy and be called, Gavin. But, would Gavin be able to use the boy's bathroom at school?

The book covers Gavin's fight - which went all the way to the Supreme Court - to uphold the right for trans kids to chose which bathroom they feel comfortable using. 

"But, when you're a kid like Gavin Grimm, you know the only choice you have is to fight back. To stand up for yourself. And your right to use the bathroom as yourself. And your right to be in school as yourself."

The tone of the book is calm, loving, supportive, while encouraging readers to believe in themselves and have confidence to speak up when they feel they are not being heard. 

Yang's full-page cartoon-like illustrations are rendered in Photoshop, Clip Studio Paint, Cintiq Companion 2, Wacom Bamboo CTH470, Dell Studio XPS 9000 PC on Windows 10, "and a good deal of effort to create the digital illustrations for this book."

A note from both authors rounds out this very important memoir.

 

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