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Title: Beautiful
Author: Stacy McAnulty
Illustrator: Joanne Lew-Vriethoff
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Picture Book
Audience: Children
My Review:
Oh my goodness! I loved this book!
I love the way the illustrations subvert the text. If I were only reading the words, I would expect a stereotypical princess playing tea with her dolls (I love those little girls but that doesn’t reflect every girl’s interests). For example,
“Beautiful girls move gracefully. And light up every room.”
These sentences are accompanied by illustrations of female athletes (some in wheelchairs) and girls camping in their tents while reading their books by lantern light or star-gazing.
The illustrator, Joanne Lew-Vriethoff, tried to include a diverse cast and did an amazing job. She shows girls in wheelchairs, Black girls, Asian girls, girls with straight hair, and girls with unruly curly hair. I can’t express how much I loved these curly girls! As a curly girl myself, I know that our hair is never tamed and seems to always have twigs or grass in it when we’re young. Instead of teaching us to straighten it, teach us to embrace it!
I highly, highly recommend this book for young and even not-so-young girls. We’re all beautiful in our own ways and this adorable picture books reinforces that fact so well.
“It’s all about
your clothes,
your hair,
your style,
WHO YOU ARE”
My Synopsis:
Stacy McAnulty celebrates beautiful girls everywhere in this picture book. Whether she’s recognized for her intelligence, curiosity, adventurous spirit, imagination, kindness, or some other trait, every girl is beautiful.
Recommended by:
A Mighty Girl Facebook page (If you like to learn about women’s achievements and issues, and/or you’re raising a Mighty Girl yourself, I can’t recommend this page enough)
Similar Books:
If you liked Beautiful, you might also like my reviews of
- The Secret Lives of Princesses by Philippe Lechermeier, illustrated by Rébecca Dautremer
- Instructions by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Charles Vess
Purchase:
Buy Beautiful from Malaprop’s Bookstore in beautiful Asheville, NC or
2 Comments
I know I’d love this one too! A Mighty Girl is such a great site.
Wow, that’s like reframing all the hackneyed rules / stereotypes into healthier ones — and in a really cool way too. Seems like the perfect gift for kids, and adults alike.