The Fairest in the Land: A Picture Book

by Lesléa Newman, Joshua Heinsz (Illustrator)

Overview

Fairest in the Land is a heartwarming, inclusive picture-book story about self-expression and friendship, from Stonewall Honor–winning author Lesléa Newman with full-color illustrations by Joshua Heinsz.

When it comes to playing dress-up, best friends Annabelle and Benjamin both want to be the bride, the ballerina, and the princess. Can they both be the fairest in the land?

In this spirited and inclusive story about expressing our true selves with pride, two friends ultimately realize that they can both be their authentic selves—and that having two princesses means twice the fun.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781419757099
Publisher:	Abrams Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	05/02/2023
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	8.70(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Lesléa Newman is the author of over 80 books for children and adults. She has received many awards, including two Stonewall Book Awards honors, the National Jewish Book Award (Gittel’s Journey), fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Massachusetts Book Award, a Sydney Taylor Book Award and Honor, the Highlights for Children Fiction Writing Award, and the James Baldwin Award for Cultural Achievement, among many others. Nine of her books have been Lambda Literary Award finalists. She is also a popular guest lecturer at college campuses across the country, and currently she is a faculty mentor at Spalding University’s School of Creative and Professional Writing.

Editorial Reviews

"A heartwarming tale... 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...will spark a fresh wave of inspiration for young friends to be their truest selves."

Book List

***STARRED REVIEW***
"A pink and purple sparkling celebration of self-expression."

Kirkus

***STARRED REVIEW***
"A pink and purple sparkling celebration of self-expression."—Kirkus

"A heartwarming tale... 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...will spark a fresh wave of inspiration for young friends to be their truest selves."—Book List

From the Publisher

★ 2023-03-14
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)

Kirkus Reviews