"Another nuanced knockout from Lesléa Newman, Sparkle Boy shines, shimmers, and speaks to the world we live in now." Tim Federle, author of Better Nate Than Ever
"Sparkle Boy captures the sparkle of siblinghood and the joy of glitter. I love Casey and his family. They are filled with love and heart. The dialogue is so real yet picture-book succinct and the chosen details of the illustrations make the pages feel real without being cluttered. Once again, Lesléa Newman reminds us that we all have the right to shine!" Alex Gino, author of Melissa
"Twenty-first century kids face an unprecedented future. Sparkle Boy sparkles with traits they'll need, including creativity, freedom, and integrity... not to mention great outfits." Marcus Ewert, author of 10,000 Dresses
"There are so many reasons to love Sparkle Boy, and the titular Sparkle Boy's big sister Jessie is one of them. Jessie shows us that tolerance and understanding can sometimes be a learning process for some, and that we all learn at different paces, through different experiences, and for various reasonslove being one of them." Christine Baldacchino, author of Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress
"The straightforward text realistically makes Jessie the one who sees the problems that can arise for Casey (and herself), but her protective mechanism seems natural. . . The inviting, solidly drawn artwork features doll-like characters with expressive faces. It's easy to see that being himself moves Casey from sad to happy." Booklist
"Compassionate. . . Offer examples of language that children and adults could use in similar real-life situations, and Jessie's response to the library bullies might be the best of all. After being told that boys don't wear skirts and bracelets because 'That's just the way it is,' she responds, 'Not anymore.'" Publishers Weekly
"This slice-of-life story will appeal to families, whether or not they include gender-creative members. . . A cheerful addition for libraries that need more titles like Cheryl Kilodavis's My Princess Boy and Sarah Hoffman's Jacob's New Dress." School Library Journal
Best Books of the Year - Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature Best Children's Books of the Year - Bank Street College of Education Irma Black Award Honor - Bank Street College of Education Massachusetts Book Award Finalist - Massachusetts Center for the Book
06/01/2017
PreS-Gr 2—When older sister Jessie shows off her shimmery accessories, little brother Casey wants them, too, even if Jessie disapproves of sparkles on boys. In three repetitive vignettes featuring the siblings, Jessie appeals in turn to their mom, dad, and Abuelita to back up her claim that boys can't have what she has. In each case, the adult hesitates but ultimately affirms that Casey may wear a skirt, nail polish, and a bracelet if he likes. This delights Casey while making his sister increasingly grumpy. In the fourth and final tale, other children at the library misgender Casey and say that "everyone will laugh at" his clothes. Of course, in the grand tradition of older siblings everywhere, Jessie decides that no one else is permitted to tease or judge her younger brother, and she paints Casey's nails herself when they return home. Mola's winsome pencil and digital illustrations have a style that combines John Parra and Mary Blair. Though somewhat on the wordy side, this slice-of-life story will appeal to families, whether or not they include gender-creative members. VERDICT A cheerful addition for libraries that need more titles like Cheryl Kilodavis's My Princess Boy and Sarah Hoffman's Jacob's New Dress.—Sarah Stone, San Francisco Public Library
2017-03-29
Newman adds to her lengthy resume of LGBT-themed books for children with this story about sibling rivalry and gender nonconformity.Despite the title, this book is not about Casey, the titular Sparkle Boy. It's about his big sister, Jessie, and her ongoing attempts to bully, shame, and otherwise convince her little brother that "boys don't wear shimmery skirts," paint their fingernails, or otherwise accessorize. Casey's parents and abuelita, indicated as a Latino or mixed family, are refreshingly supportive and kind, but Jessie's anger overshadows much of the story. Readers never learn why Jessie feels such antagonism, with no space given for reflection or empathy, nor does Casey display much depth of personality beyond his ravenlike attraction to shiny things. Of course, Jessie has a sudden and clichéd change of heart at the very end, when she's compelled to protect her brother against other children making identical accusations about his gender expression, and by the end the siblings "adore...each other." With illustrations that are colorful yet subdued and stationary, there's little to distinguish this story from other recent picture books about femme boys and trans girls who are forced to endure maltreatment from family, community, or both. Multiple titles already explore nearly identical themes, and at this point any of them will suffice until the industry yields more interesting and nuanced portrayals. (Picture book. 3-8)