Illustrated by DeAnn Wiley
5 stars
An adorable story highlighting that there is no right or wrong way to celebrate Pride. Marley’s grandparent Zaza is getting ready for the Pride celebration where they will receive an award. Marley wants to be there with them, but the crowds and noise make them nervous. With the support of their family and new friends, Marley learns they can celebrate Pride their own way.
Such a sweet story. I loved the focus on sensory sensitivities and open communication. Marley uses noise-canceling headphones and other items to help regulate themselves and Zaza is supportive in making sure Marley is comfortable.
Gorgeous, brightly-colored illustrations with great diversity. There are characters of color, disabled characters, and characters with a variety of gender expressions. I really enjoyed the joyful, inclusive representations of the Pride celebration.
The backmatter is fantastic. It includes definitions of words used in the story (queer, gender identity, pronoun, etc.), different Pride flags, a short history of Pride, and information about sensory sensitivities.
A wonderful, accessible book about being yourself, doing hard things, and celebrating in your own way.