Rainbow Boy

by Taylor Rouanzion (Author) Stacey Chomiak (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

A story about a boy with a heart too big for one color alone.

A little boy attempts to answer one of grown-ups' all-time favorite questions: "What's your favorite color?" But with so many wonderful colors to choose from, he doesn't know how to answer. He loves his pink sparkly tutu, bright red roses, soft yellow baby doll pajamas, and big, orange basketball. How will he ever pick?

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Publishers Weekly

Inspired by Rouanzion's gender nonconforming child, this picture book interrogates the habit of assigning colors and activities to a specific gender. When adults ask the unnamed protagonist, who has variegated brown hair and tan skin, the " 'favorite color' question," the child offers a different hue for each day of the week, corresponding to favorite pastimes: on Sundays, pink is their favorite color, as they enjoy "play ballerina," while Tuesdays are for orange and basketball. But when grown-ups persist in asking for a single favorite color, the protagonist turns to their mother for affirmation: "Your heart is just too big for one color alone. You need a whole rainbow to fill it up." Dynamic digital illustrations by Chomiak highlight the child's energy and imagination. While the ending feels slightly abrupt, the narrative clearly encourages readers to avoid projecting limiting binary social norms. Ages 3-5. (Jan.)

Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.
Taylor Rouanzion
Taylor Rouanzion lives in Florida with her daughter and miniature dachshund. She has been a part of local support groups for trans/gender-nonconforming kids and their parents. Her own child is gender nonconforming and has inspired Taylor to write for her and others like her so they can be seen in children's literature. Taylor earned her master's degree in library and information science and works as an elementary school librarian for the best kids on the planet. You can visit Taylor Rouanzion at TaylorRouanzion.com

Stacey Chomiak is an artist, author, and LGBTQ+ speaker. She designs art for the animation industry, but her passion is illustrating and writing kids books that represent the queer community. She lives happily nestled amid the tall trees of the Canadian West Coast. Stacey loves to dance with her two kids, paint anything that inspires her, and have conversations around faith and sexuality. You can visit Stacey Chomiak at
StaceyChomiak.com.
Classification
-
ISBN-13
9781506463988
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Beaming Books
Publication date
January 19, 2021
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV051000 - Juvenile Fiction | Imagination & Play
Library of Congress categories
Picture books
Families
Family life
Colors
Color
Sex role

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