The Fairest in the Land

May 1, 2023
Grades K-2 A heartwarming tale from the author of Heather Has Two Mommies (2015), this follows friends Annabelle and Benjamin during a day of playing dress-up. When Benjamin gravitates toward all of the traditionally feminine roles, such as a veiled bride or a ballerina in a pink tutu, Annabelle is happy to see her friend having fun, but she's disappointed that she is left with the more traditionally masculine roles and outfits. When Benjamin claims the role of princess, Annabelle speaks up, as she does not feel that the prince role fits her, so Benjamin proposes the marvelous solution of having two princesses so they can both have fun and be themselves! Filled with vibrant illustrations and cute animal friends that capture the joy and nostalgia of children playing pretend, Newman's story reminds readers that they are who their imaginations say they are. The fresh bubblegum palette, wonderfully reminiscent of Lisa Frank or Polly Pocket toys, will spark a fresh wave of inspiration for young friends to be their truest selves.

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May 15, 2023
A game of dress-up underlines the importance of personal expression in this picture book from Newman and Heinsz. When young Annabelle, portrayed with brown skin, suggests dressing up to white-cued friend Benjamin, Annabelle asks, “Who would you like to be?” He chooses to dress up as a bride, wearing “silk ribbons in my hair/ to match my lacy dress.” “Okay,” Annabelle says, donning a lavender top hat and tails to walk him down the aisle. As Benjamin next dresses as a ballerina and a princess, Annabelle accompanies by taking on traditional male roles—and growing increasingly gloomy along the way. When Benjamin suggests that they both be princesses, the idea allows them each to enjoy the game, and dance the night away alongside friends shown with varied body types and skin tones. Newman’s rhyming quatrains and Heinsz’s animation-style illustrations, which lean into candy-bright pinks and purples, offer a portrait of communication and safe-space-making that affirms gender expression across the spectrum. Ages 4–8.

Starred review from April 1, 2023
Annabelle and Benjamin love playing dress-up, but they both want to be the princess. Benjamin, a light-skinned child with blond hair, always wants to be the bride, ballerina, or princess. His friend Annabelle, who has brown skin and dark brown hair, dutifully dons groom and prince costumes, but she wants to be the princess herself. Benjamin doesn't want to give up his role, but luckily, it turns out there can be more than one princess. The story is told in rhyming verse that gives it a fairy-tale or nursery-rhyme feel, with artwork dominated by twinkling stars and hues of pink and purple. There have been a number of picture books that have told boys it's OK to wear dresses, but this one handles the topic of gender expression with particular nuance and care. Young readers are most likely to notice the messages that sharing and taking turns are important. Yet without directly saying it, Newman also makes clear that it's perfectly fine to be either gender-conforming or gender-nonconforming. The characters' decision to play as two princesses without a prince distances them from the heteronormative romance narrative that can underlie even gender-nonconforming play. With the appearance of additional, racially diverse friends of varying gender expressions at the end, the book encourages readers to embrace themselves, no matter what that looks like. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A pink and purple sparkling celebration of self-expression. (Picture book. 4-8)

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