I call myself a “book pusher,” but I am not at the top of this book train. I have my own pusher, Maya at Barefoot Books. And they have Barefoot behind them. And behind this publisher are the wonderful authors that put our wonderful books. And in April 2024 two very different, but equally awesome books will be out. And I get to push them on you… I mean introduce you to them. And you will be so happy for this introduction you will push them, I mean introduce them to others as well. (And as an FYI I got my sneak peeks from reader copies via online.)
We know stories that feature pride events in the GLBTQ+ community, but this time around there are more characters and differences that we might not have been introduced to before in other works. Marley’s Pride is about a young nonbinary child and their grandparent (also nonbinary) and the day of the big parade to mark Pride Month. But every year, when June comes around, Marely finds a reason not to go to the parade. As they have sensory issues, anxiety and fears of What Ifs. But they want to support their grandparent when they get an award for the work they have done for people like them and the community. Of course, we the reader know that things will work out, but as we follow them through this journey we can see ourselves (even adults have worries about things like being touched/bumped, noises, etc) and empathize. The idea of pronouns takes on an important role. This makes things fresh and the artwork pops. Joelle Retener bases some things on their own family experiences and their own pride, plus I am sure they add a bit more from other sources. This pride comes through loudy. And yes, there is a message, and it is less than subtle, but it is presented in a welcoming way. And with the neurodivergent child making representation take on a new level, we have all the fun and important points. And of course, there are Deann Wiley’s illustrations. They, at first, were not my favorite, but they grew on me. They flow and all the colors and sometimes busy details get things across. The theme is wide, the art is widely supporting and representing that, and you need to take your time. There are extras that just add to the fun at the end of things.
And there is this series I have been enjoying called Our World. It is by different authors and illustrators who are introducing the country in the title. This time we have Our World: Ireland. I am interested in the country as it is where a great-something-grandparent came from, and it is a lovely looking country. And I know it’s a smidgen cliche, but how can you not enjoy that accent? Well, I wish I had a native speaker or at least someone who has studied the language because I had heard it was difficult, and I knew by people names from similar areas, they would not be easy, but everything Irish author Muireann Ni Chiobhain wrote was wonderfully hard. Therefore, it is meant for toddlers, but be ready for a bit of a challenge. Though that just means (at least for me) a second (and possibly a third) read is needed. After all it was not just the language presented but part of the culture as well. You have a sports event, seeing the countryside and more. All in a few pages. And Fuchsia Macaree made illustrations that were representative of the subject, but were a bit simple. This will grab the younger reader/listener, but for an older child the cartoon imagery might be a turnoff.