Gender Identity For Kids by Andy Passchier
One of the hallmarks of the past decade has been acceptance. As a result, more and more young people have begun to voice trans and nonbinary gender identities, and naturally they and their parents are looking for accessible, nonjudgmental references to spark discussion and figure out what vocabulary works for them. In their new children’s book, Gender Identity For Kids (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers), author and illustrator Andy Passchier has created just that.
What is gender and what does it mean to you? What are ways people express their gender? What if you don’t feel like the gender everyone says you are? In Passchier’s new book, kids will find out how to make sense of who they are and how they feel. Because most children begin to define their own gender identity at age four, this book comes along at the perfect time, guiding them through this tumultuous period. Throughout the book, young readers will find answers to questions such as what to do when the things you like don’t track with the way society sees you and what to do when you’re not even quite sure which gender you are.
The Perfect Pride Month Read
Passchier does an excellent job conveying all the information developing children need to know while doing so in a way that is consistent, easily digestible and concise. “This book is going to define [gender] and a lot of other big words in a way that will make them easier to understand,” says the narrator. “Some of the meanings, like words about identities, might change over time, or people might have different meanings for them depending on their own feelings … but this book is for you and you can use it however you like.”
Though books about gender identity have appeared for very young children as well as for teens and older, there aren’t any that clearly lay out the terms and ideas of gender expression for children who may be just starting to wonder about their own identities or have friends and siblings who are beginning to identify in new ways. Publishing just in time for pride month, readers will find that they’ll be able to make sense of complex concepts and learn how to be supportive of those exploring new aspects of themselves.
With both beautiful illustrations and a beautiful message, Gender Identity For Kids is a timely and sorely needed resource that will appeal to children, guardians and people who simply want to learn more about these complex topics.
Andy Passchier (they/them) is a trans non-binary illustrator originally from the Netherlands and currently based in the USA. In their work, they focus on diversity, inclusivity and advocacy for LGBTQIA+ topics. They have illustrated several children’s books regarding love, family, gender identity and pronouns, with Gender Identity For Kids being the first book they both wrote and illustrated.
