2016 CYBILS PICTURE BOOK NOMINEE REVIEW: Introducing Teddy: A Gentle Story About Gender and Friendship

TITLE: Introducing Teddy
AUTHOR: Jessica Walton

ILLUSTRATOR: Dougal MacPherson

PUBLISHER:  Bloomsbury

PUBLICATION YEAR: 2016

FLAP COPY: Teddy knows in hear heart that she is a girl, not a boy. Will her friends understand? And will they call her Tilly instead of Thomas? 

The thing about being a boy or a girl is that it doesn't matter what other people say -- it's what you say that counts. But it's better when your friends understand. 

Starring a teddy bear who is defined by what's inside instead of what's outside, and with a heartwarming story about being true to yourself, Introducing Teddy is a sweet, accessible book to help the youngest readers understand gender identity and transition. 

SNIPPET: Errol and Thomas the Teddy play together every day. They ride their bike in the backyard. They plant vegetables in the garden. They have sandwiches for lunch in the treehouse. And they even have tea parties in the house when it's raining. 

REVIEW: While dealing with an extremely important and timely issue, this reads entirely like a picture book about friendship and acceptance. Notable is the absence of adult intervention, in my heartfelt opinion, that children are generally accepting and often learn to exclude based upon what they are taught or see adults do.

So sweet, with absolutely tender and careful art, I am extremely thankful to have met Teddy -- an important person to meet, to say the least! 4 out of 5 Stars

NOTE: The reviews stated herein are my own, despite receiving a copy of this book as a 2016 Cybils Panelist. 

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