Written by Chelsea Johnson, LaToya Council, Carolyn Choi

Illustrated by Ashley Seil Smith

Reviewed by Melody Falleur-Fettig

“Where there’s room FOR SOME we make room FOR ALL. Friends can be ALLIES no matter how small!”  This wonderful picture book shows young children not only how to be caring, accepting members of a community but normalizes what they see and experience around them, countering negative narratives that permeate western society.  The story explores the lives of a group of friends who’s experiences are different from one another’s.  They are a community that cares, helps, plays and loves. 

This book resists xenophobia, ableism, transphobia, homophobia, and racism by providing prospective.  Easily integrated into a kindergarten classroom, this piece is also a capable resource through fifth grade.  The story rhymes, for phonemic awareness, and the illustrations are cheerful yet powerful providing memorable context.  It includes a page describing what intersectionality is.  It also contains five pages of book notes to further the discussion of topics that arise in the book, such as, collective parenting, pronouns, hijab, and social movements like Black Lives Matter and the Dakota Access Pipeline protests.  Other topics discussed include being bilingual, what it means to be a language broker to older generations and what a refugee is. 

Providing both windows and mirrors, this book is easily integrated into the identity, diversity, justice and action anchor standards for Teaching Tolerance.  Use this book to plant the seeds for social justice and a more accepting future for all.