ARC Review: He’s My Mom!: A Story for Children Who Have a Transgender Parent or Relative by Sarah Savage, Illustrated by Joules Garcia

Thank you to Jessica Kingsley Publishers and NetGalley for the eARC to read and review! He’s My Mom! goes on sale August 19, 2021.

Image via NetGalley

Genre: Picture Book, LGBTQIA+ Fiction
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Recommend to Others?: Yes

ABOUT: My Mom’s name is David. He used to be a she but now he is a he! Last year he did this thing called transition. He took some medicine which made his voice deeper and he started wearing different clothes.

When Benjamin’s uncle accidentally misgenders his dad David, Benjamin explains why misgendering is hurtful and why we need to treat trans people with respect. Benjamin speaks with confidence about transitioning and gender identity, and helps to educate and empower others with trans relatives or friends.

This brightly illustrated book for children aged 3 – 7 will aid discussion with children about a loved one transitioning or about trans people in general. Featuring a child with a mom who has transitioned, this book passes on an important message about acceptance and respect, and covers pronouns, dysphoria, family diversity and misgendering.

*24/7 resources at end of post*

 

My Review: This was a great story about a boy and his Mom who had recently transitioned to a man, called David. You can tell how much Benjamin (the boy) loves David and cares about his well-being and overall happiness. For example, Benjamin notices how much happier David is and mentions how David “feels sad and hurt when people use the wrong pronouns.”

The story breaks down in a simple way what David went through and felt before, during, and after transitioning, highlights important vocabulary (glossary included), and use of pronouns. The illustrations were so lovely and enhanced my enjoyment of the story.

He’s My Mom! is a good introduction for children (really all ages) to understand a transgender parent or relative they may have in an easy, accessible way.

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24/7 Resources

The Trevor Project
1-866-488-7386
TrevorChat available
Text START to 678678

Gender Spectrum
https://genderspectrum.org

GLSEN
https://www.glsen.org

PFLAG
https://pflag.org/

Trans Youth Equality Foundation (TYEF)
http://www.transyouthequality.org

Trans Youth Family Allies (TYF)
http://www.imatyfa.org