Man Up!

by Riley Campbell, London Jones, Joy Ingram (illustrator)

Aaron is outgoing and funny and a whiz at kickball. He’s also compassionate and kind, reading books at the old folks home down H street. Basically, he’s pretty great. But he’s got a everyone calls him a crybaby.When his friends cheat at Forknife, he cries out of anger.When he sees his brother Tayshawn hurt a neighborhood dog, he cries out of empathy.And when misses his oldest brother, Sage, who’s away at college, he cries out of loneliness. His dad, his friends, and his classmates tell him to “Leave that crying for the girls.”How can Aaron learn to value his feelings and nurture his sensitivity in a world telling him to “Man up”?

The authors of this story are part of an innovative program run by Reach Incorporated. Reach develops grade-level readers and capable leaders by preparing teens to serve as tutors and role models for younger students, resulting in improved literacy outcomes for both. Learn more at reachincorporated.org. Books were created in collaboration with Shout Mouse Press. Shout Mouse is a nonprofit writing program and publishing house for under-heard voices. Through writing workshops that lead to professional publication, Shout Mouse coaches writers from marginalized backgrounds to tell their own stories in their own voices and, as published authors, to act as agents of change. Learn more at shoutmousepress.org

40 pages, Hardcover

Published November 15, 2019

Reviews

[Maura · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 6 year old son and I borrowed this book from our public library, and it has quickly become an important favorite for him. It is so rare and SO, SO important to see a boy main character who experiences and shows emotions. Man Up perfectly illustrates the kind of toxic masculinity that pressures boys to shove down and repress their feelings and shames them for any display of feeling other than anger.

Aaron's character is surprisingly well developed in such a short book, and the scene with his dad telling him to "man up" and scolding him for crying will be all too familiar to many readers. The character of Sage, Aaron's older brother, offers so much hope and such a great example of strong masculinity, one that acknowledges that crying is a healthy way to relieve stress and regulate emotions.

The illustrations by Joy Ingram are really great, and I especially loved the inclusion of a main character with vitiligo, not as part of the plot line but just as a variation in skin pigmentation.

We were so impressed, coming to the end of the book, to discover that it had been authored by high school students. Riley Campbell, London Jones, and Shirelle Hurt have a great future in writing if they choose!

[Petter Nordal · Rating 5 out of 5]

¡Portate como un hombre!
por Riley Campbell, London Jones y Shirelle Hurt
Ilustrado por Joy Ingraham

Publicado por Shout Mouse Press
shoutmousepress.org
(Primero la crítica en español, English review immediately after)

Aaron es un estudiante típico del cuarto o quinto grado. Le gusta pasar tiempo con sus amigos, jugar Fornite (que en el libro lo llaman “Fortnoche”¡jeje!) y kickball, ya sabes. Pero a Aaron se le saltan las lágrimas cuando está molesto, y sí se molesta. Sus amigos, y peor aún, su PAPÁ, lo llaman llorón. Afortunadamente, su hermano mayor ha aprendido de su vida que es importante que todos, incluyendo los niños, puedan expresar sus emociones.

Quiero que todas las clases de tercero, cuarto y quinto grado tengan un ejemplar de este libro. Aunque el lenguaje es comprensible para los estudiantes más pequeños, hay muchas cosas en este libro y lleva un tiempo desarrollarlo, por lo que es posible que necesiten ayuda para comprender. Para el cuarto grado es perfecto.

Cuando se lo leí a mis estudiantes de cuarto grado, fue una experiencia significativa. En las primeras páginas, cuando vemos que Aaron comienza a llorar y sus amigos reaccionan, algunos estudiantes se escuchó risitas. Pero cuando Aaron está llorando porque está molesto porque alguien lastimó a un perro callejero, hubo un silencio absoluto. Cuando el padre de Aaron le dijo que tenía que ser más fuerte, más hombre, un estudiante intervinó a hablar de lo malo que era eso y de que los padres deberían ser más amables. Después de terminar de leer el libro, era imposible salir al recreo sin hablar de personas que conocen (padres en particular) que reprimen sus sentimientos y luego actúan de manera irracional. ¡Íbamos para el recreo, pero querían comentarlo, ¿me entiende?!

Puede ser muy difícil hablar con los niños sobre la masculinidad y este libro es un recurso crucial. Tener un libro escrito por jóvenes de color permitió a los estudiantes ver esto como algo más que el parloteo de su maestro. Estoy tan agradecido.

Las ilustraciones de Joy Ingram fueron realmente atractivas para mis estudiantes, ya que recuerdan el estilo de dibujo de las novelas gráficas.

La traducción al español, como ocurre con todos los libros de Shout Mouse Press, está muy bien hecha, todo suena bien en español.

Aaron is your typical 4th or 5th grade student. He likes to hang out with friends, play Fortnite and kickball, you know. But Aaron gets teary-eyed when he is upset, and he does get upset. His friends, and worse, his DAD call him a crybaby. Fortunately, his older brother has learned from his life that it’s important for everyone-including boys--to be able to express their emotions.

I want every 3rd, 4th and 5th grade class in the country to have a copy of this book. Though the language is comprehensible for younger students, there’s a lot going on and it takes a while to develop, so they might need help understanding.

When I read it to my 4th grade students, it was a significant experience. In the first pages when we see Aaron begin to cry and his friends react, some students snickered. By the time Aaron is crying because he’s upset about someone hurting a stray dog, there was absolute silence. When Aaron’s dad told him he needed to toughen up, a student actually blurted out about how bad that was, about how dads should be more kind. After we finished, it was impossible to leave without students sharing about people they know--fathers in particular--who bottle up their feelings and then act out irrationally. And this is significant, because we were supposed to be going to recess at that time.

It can be so difficult to talk with boys about masculinity, this book is a crucial resource. Having a book authored by young people of color allowed students to see this as something other than their teacher yammering on.

The illustrations by Joy Ingram were really attractive to my students, reminiscent as they are of the drawing style of graphic novels.

The Spanish translation, as with all Shout Mouse Press books, is really well done, everything sounds right in Spanish.

#ReadYourWorld
Disclaimer: this book was gifted to me by the publisher for ReadYourWorldDay

[Tahira Ahmad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Man Up! is an inspiring and empowering picture book that challenges harmful stereotypes about masculinity and redefines what it means for boys to be strong, caring, and authentic. Written collaboratively by young authors Riley Campbell, London Jones, and Shirelle Hurt, the book carries the unmistakable clarity and honesty of youth voice. Together, they craft a narrative that speaks directly to children who are navigating expectations about how boys “should” act, feel, or express themselves.
The story follows a young boy who is repeatedly told to “man up” when he cries, feels scared, or shows vulnerability. As he moves through his day, he learns—through family, friends, and moments of reflection—that true strength comes from being kind, brave, expressive, and unafraid to feel. The text is gentle yet bold, offering an accessible conversation starter for young readers about emotional wellbeing, self-acceptance, and rejecting narrow gender roles.
Joy Ingram’s artwork beautifully complements the message. Her illustrations are warm, energetic, and emotionally expressive, capturing both the weight of the phrase “man up” and the lightness that comes when it’s challenged. Ingram’s visual storytelling reinforces the idea that children, especially boys, deserve space to be tender, playful, and true to themselves.
Perfect for classroom read-alouds, SEL (social-emotional learning) lessons, and programs focused on mental health or healthy masculinity, Man Up! is a valuable addition to any collection seeking inclusive, affirming titles for young readers. It invites boys to step into a fuller sense of themselves—one rooted not in restriction, but in empathy, courage, and emotional honesty.
Verdict: A thoughtful, uplifting picture book that dismantles outdated ideas about manhood and champions emotional freedom. Highly recommended for families, public and school libraries.

[Whitney Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book challenges toxic gender norms that tells boys they cannot be themselves.

[Krystal Kraft · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is important. I would encourage everyone to get it in front of your kids because my 9 year old just walked away feeling so bad for this boy. It reminded her that all kids should be treated equal and respected no matter the gender and how big the emotions are. He kept being reminded that boys aren’t supposed to cry and show emotion. To man up. No little guy needs to “man up.” We thought this book was so good. We had a great time reading it and will spend many more days reading it I am sure. Super well done illustrations as well!