Beautiful You, Beautiful Me
- Publisher
- Owlkids Books Inc.
- Initial publish date
- Oct 2022
- Category
- General, Diversity & Multicultural, Body, Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance
- Recommended Age
- 3 to 7
- Recommended Grade
- 1 to 12
-
Hardback
- ISBN
- 9781771474528
- Publish Date
- Oct 2022
- List Price
- $19.95
-
eBook
- ISBN
- 9781771476164
- Publish Date
- Oct 2022
- List Price
- $19.99
Classroom Resources
Where to buy it
Description
A child who looks different from her mother finds beauty and belonging in this new book from the creator of the New York Times bestseller I Sang You Down from the Stars
Izzy’s favorite place to be is in Mama’s arms—skin to skin, safe and warm. One night, cuddled up on Mama’s lap, Izzy notices something she’s never noticed before: her skin is the color of chocolate, but Mama’s skin is the color of sand.
When Izzy realizes she’s different from Mama in other ways, too, she feels sad and confused. She wants to be beautiful like Mama! But Mama addresses Izzy’s disappointment with a gentle, loving refrain: You’re part of me, and I’m part of you. I’m beautiful like me, and you’re beautiful like you. Finding lessons from nature and repeating her affirming message, Mama encourages Izzy to see her own unique beauty.
This story about a multiracial child navigating identity and belonging draws from author Tasha Spillett-Sumner’s own experience growing up as an Afro-Indigenous girl. Lyrical text and warm, lively illustrations show Izzy’s journey as she learns to celebrate the differences that make her uniquely beautiful, and the connection to her mother that transcends physical traits.
About the authors
TASHA SPILLETT-SUMNER is an Inninewak (Cree) and Trinidadian award-winning poet and author who is also working on her doctoral degree in Indigenous land–based education. She makes her home in Treaty 1 territory, Manitoba, where she raises her daughter, Isabella, with her husband. She is the author of the New York Times best-selling picture book I Sang You Down from the Stars and the award-winning Surviving the City graphic novel series.
Tasha Spillett-Sumner's profile page
Salini Perera is a freelance illustrator from Toronto. She was born in Sri Lanka, raised in Scarborough, and has been making art for as long as she can remember. Now, she gets to make art for picture books, a lifelong dream come true. She lives in the city's east end with her husband, Michael, and their two cats, Victoria and Albert.
Awards
- Commended, FOLD Kids Book-of-the-Month
- Commended, Toronto Public Library First and Best List
- Joint winner, CBC Kids Reads
- Commended, Teacher Favorites Award
- Commended, Ontario Library Association Top Ten Best Bets List
- Commended, American Indians in Children’s Literature Best Book of 2022
- Commended, A Loan Stars Jr. Top 10 Selection
- Commended, A CBC Best Canadian Picture Book of 2022
Editorial Reviews
"An excellent addition to any collection."
Quill & Quire - STARRED REVIEW
"Readers will be touched by the bond between mother and daughter. The illustrations are also warm and reveal the tenderness between the two."
Booklist
"This could give rise to story hour discussions of differences that matter and those that do not ... [A] sweet portrait of a mother-daughter relationship."
School Library Journal
"Spillett-Sumner’s quiet text strikes a steady rhythm of call and response: Izzy’s uncertainties and her mother’s answering refrain that celebrates rather than dismisses the pair’s differences ... A lovely accompaniment to any cuddle."
Kirkus Reviews - STARRED REVIEW
"The key takeaway for us was the ability to recognize that everyone is beautiful – even if their beauty is different than ours."
The Canadian Homeschooler
"A must read for all families and early childhood settings."
Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database
