Written by Brook Pessin-Whedbee and illustrated by Naomi Bardoff
Reviewed by Lucie Wharton-Moeur Early Elementary Picturebook

The book Who are you? is a book designed for you and only you. The author describes this book as a personal experience for every reader and an experience that will change every time you read it. This book disrupts the gender binary and challenges the reader to discover gender in whatever way they choose. Pessin-Whedbee uses clear and simple language to navigate the complex, yet incredibly simple, topic of how everyone experiences gender. Pessin-Whedbee breaks this topic down into three components: body, identity, and expressing. In about 20 pages, supported by beautiful illustrations of kids being kids, she demonstrates that there are endless ways to be you and express yourself. Body, identity, and expression are not mutually exclusive and are all dynamic and are forever changing. This book is a guide for every reader no matter their age. One of my favorite components of this book is the interactive wheel at the end.

This wheel extends the opportunity for learning and exploring the endless possibilities of gender. I appreciate how there are blank spaces on the wheel reserved for the reader to include what may be missing from the options. This book provides so many helpful teaching and learning tools in addition to this wheel. There are multiple notes and guides for grown-ups for those who are unsure how or are new to discussing this subject. As a teacher, I particularly like the key concepts and discussion point section of the book. The author provides the reader with page by page important questions to ask as well as things to point out along the way. Finally, what I think is most remarkable about this book is how it provides the readers with countless resources. It references books for students and adults, music videos, songs, and a link to their website kidsguidetogender.com where so much more learning can happen. This book is so much more than a book for young children. It is an accessible and remarkable text that educates everyone and starts the important gender conversation inside or outside of the classroom.