I have recently seen a book that had a picture of a child with vitiligo, and though it was not the first time I had heard about it (Barbie had a doll, there is the model, etc) but it might have been the first time I had ever seen it in a book that was prominent as it was. That is, until I Absolutely, Positively Love My Spots. Lid’ya C. Rivera themselves has vitiligo and is a “be unashamed of who you are” promoter.
Overall, the book is just about the young narrator of the story loving herself. Loving her spots, blotches, her skin. There is no “deep dark message” just the wonderful one of self love. It is realistic and good for the younger crowd. The tone is bubbly as are the illustrations by Nina Mata. They are colorful, easy, but not simplistic. They are, as said, bubbly. The young girl is plumb, smiling and, again, bubbly. The word of the book is bubbly. This is helped along by the poetic, rhyming text.
There are extras at the end of the book talking more about the subject and the author’s journey.
And since I need a few more words to fill out this review (I am not proud, I’ll sneak in a second book) so I’ll add a quickie review of the book Dude by Aaron Reynolds. Though I am not sure how you can count him as the author as I just wrote more words than the entire book has and this sentence has more variety than the entire book, as it is just the word, Dude. However, it is Dan Santat that brings things to life by some funny, goofy, silly, colorful, traditionally illustration style. And that style allows you the reader to add the inflection needed on the word, Dude. As we know there is DUUUDE! And Dude. Or duuuuuuuuude. And even dude? Dude? And Dude.