Jacob's School Play: Starring He, She, and They

Following Jacob's Room to Choose, this third book starring Jacob finds the blond child crafting costumes for the school play. When Jacob finds out that Ari, a pale, freckled classmate with a beehive of red hair, gets to play "the cloud, the rain, the pond," he also learns that Ari's pronouns are they and them. Jacob is confused: "The water in the play was three things. Was that why Ari was they, instead of he or she?" But Ms. Reeves has a matter-of-fact explanation--"From the outside, we can't see who anybody is on the inside.... So we have to trust them when they tell us"--and the play soon lends further clarity. Case illustrates expressive comic strip-style characters in washes of color. While Ari's identity is presented from another child's perspective, the school play metaphor is gentle and effective in showing one child eventually comprehending a classmate's nonbinary identity. Ages 4-8. (May)

Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

K-Gr 2--From the creators of Jacob's New Dress and Jacob's Room To Choose comes a book in which Jacob experiences confusion about his nonbinary classmate, Ari. Although Ari is the centerpiece of the cover illustration, within the book, they serve only to guide Jacob, the star of the series, to his ultimate understanding. The class is preparing for an upcoming school play. When Ari is misgendered by Jacob, Ari corrects him, but Jacob needs his teacher, Ms. Reeves, to address his arguments against using the pronoun "they": "They is for two kids." She models thoughtful explanations for adult and child readers. When Jacob forgets his line in the play, he comes to a spontaneous realization that he's glad there is room in his class for everyone to be themselves. Case's joyful illustrations portray a colorful classroom filled with a students from diverse backgrounds, in scenes filled with energy and laughter. Ms. Reeves, Ari, and Jacob are white. VERDICT In collections where Jacob's other stories do well, this is a worthwhile inclusion, but for a more precise and centered discussion of pronouns and gender identity, consider It Feels Good To Be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity.--Amanda Foulk, Sacramento P.L.

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Making space for everyone is no small task. Seeing one another, asking the right questions, and honoring how each person walks through the world is something learned, but not often enough taught.... But this is not a book about conflict or being accepted by others for who you are. It's about classmates each embracing that their experience is not the only experience and that every person fits beautifully into this world in their own way. I'm so grateful that children in every classroom will have the opportunity to see themselves and their friends represented in Jacob's School Play. That's so needed and so beautifully done in this book.— "Matthew Winner, The Children's Book Podcast"