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My Shadow #2

My Shadow Is Purple

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As featured on CNN, MSNBC, New York Post, The Daily Beast, The Washington Post , and more

My Dad has a shadow that’s blue as a berry, and my Mom's is as pink as a blossoming cherry. There’s only those choices, a 2 or a 1. But mine is quite different, it’s both and it’s none.

A heartwarming and inspiring book about being true to yourself and moving beyond the gender binary, by the bestselling author of My Shadow Is Pink.

32 pages, Hardcover

Published June 15, 2022

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About the author

Scott Stuart

7 books71 followers
Scott Stuart is a best-selling children’s book author who is committed to creating content that empowers kids. His books have appeared on numerous best-seller lists, as well as being shortlisted for ABIA Children’s Book of the Year and CBCA Notable Picture Book of the Year.

His empowering messages have been seen over 100 million times on Social Media, and he is a leading voice on fully accepting and empowering our children, exactly as they are.

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Community Reviews

5 stars
918 (71%)
4 stars
273 (21%)
3 stars
63 (4%)
2 stars
7 (<1%)
1 star
20 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 242 reviews
Profile Image for Effy.
90 reviews
May 18, 2022
I found a TikTok where the author read the whole thing.
I have no kids, I'm not non-binary, but I'm still crying because there is nothing better and lovelier than acceptance! It's imperative that children learn that.
This book is so important ❤️ so glad I found it.
And the art is adorable!
Profile Image for Danny_reads.
287 reviews213 followers
August 9, 2022
These are the cutest books ever!

I absolutely adore the message of love and acceptance in these books. They're also perfect for children as an introduction to the LGBTQIA+ community.

I really hope we get more in this series... Maybe exploring not only gender and sexuality, but also different disabilities!
Profile Image for Pinja.
245 reviews
August 7, 2022
idk i feel like this just promotes the idea that some stuff is only meant for boys and some stuff for girls and if you don’t agree with that there’s something fundamentally different about you.
Profile Image for jordan.
99 reviews1 follower
October 31, 2022
(4.5 stars)

This book is super cute and I adored it so so much. I do agree, though, with a review below me that highlights that the text does somehow break and conform to stereotypical gender identities through the idea that blue is for boys and pink is for girls, but this is a kids book. It's fine. It breaks a lot of boundaries that needed to be broken. It's great. Enjoy it for what it is.
Profile Image for :).
4 reviews3 followers
August 11, 2022
Stereotypes, stereotypes, stereotypes
Profile Image for claire.
83 reviews22 followers
July 15, 2022
a short lovely story on non-binary identities, loved it so much and it’s so nice to see stories like this for kids <3
Profile Image for Amy Gerrish.
12 reviews1 follower
October 6, 2022
My Shadow is Purple is a rhyming text about how everyone is unique and being yourself.
Although the main message is about breaking gender norms I think this book takes it a step further.

Dad's shadow is blue and Mum's shadow is pink, both of these stereotypical colour-gender relationships are described beautifully through how the child knows others see the world.
But the child is confident that although Mum is pink, she is still strong, and although Dad is blue he is still caring. This is such a lovely message and it is wonderful that from the beginning of the book the child is happy with and understands their purple shadow. It is just normal for them, rather than usual journey from shyness/fear to happy/confident we often see in books.

The bright, happy pictures show the joy on the child's face and the superhero stance really gives off the sense of confidence and belonging, no matter what they are playing with or talking about their shadow.

Where purple is the colour throughout - blending the male blue and the female pink in an assumed gender neutral purple - the reader assumes the book is about accepting gender neutrality. However, in a surprise twist at the end of the book we are introduced to children with orange, yellow, green and all sorts of colour shadows. This brings in the idea of individuality and really breaks down the ideas of gender-neutrality, gender binary systems, and colour-gender associations. Each reader appears to take their own things away from these colours in an exciting way.

This book has really stayed with me, and I look forward to more in the My Shadow is... series.
Profile Image for Ilary.
278 reviews2 followers
September 19, 2022
Da maestra d’elementari e asilo, non credo che per i bambini possa essere chiaro il paragone tra ombre colorate e sessualità, ma apprezzo comunque lo sforzo di trattare un tema del genere anche con i più piccoli
Profile Image for Martha andrade.
804 reviews18 followers
July 16, 2022
Este pequeño libro acerca de personas no binarias es la cosa más dulce y tierna que leerás, me saco una lagrima de lo bonito pero a la vez real que es. 10/10
Profile Image for Worm.book1 Hermione.
51 reviews2 followers
August 3, 2022
הגעתי אליו דרך טיקטוק והאמת שהוא היה שווה את זה. ספר יפיפה. אני רוצה ילדים רק כדי שאוכל להקריא להם אותו ועוד ספרים בסגנון😹
Profile Image for Andrew.
2,065 reviews58 followers
March 26, 2023
A young person enjoys things that are stereotypically enjoyed by either girls or boys. Their mom does too. So does their dad.
They each have a shadow. The father's is blue. The mother's is pink. The child's is purple.
When a dance party is announced, the young person wants to attend, but they must make a choice on which group to pick. Will they find anyone else like them or will they be ostracized and not allowed at the party?

A wonderful story of affirmation, identity, supportive parents, others who may be different, those who are LGBTQIA2+, written and illustrated perfectly by Scott Stuart, showcasing the broad emotional and mental depth of this child's circumstances. I also greatly appreciate how Stuart drew the father (many books still sadly depict men as strong and tough, and while Stuart does address this and given that the father is a big burly bearded man, he still is more than just his shadow stereotype.)
This would make a great storytime or read-aloud with kids. What color would you want your shadow to be? Pink, Blue, Purple or something else?
Profile Image for Desirai.
308 reviews93 followers
July 5, 2023
What a wonderful and inclusive story in rhyme about being non-binary. It's a beautiful message that teaches children it's ok to be different. It encourages love and acceptance so they don't grow up fearing and hating people that aren't exactly like them.

I read the e-book on my phone but I bet the hardcover is gorgeous with those colorful illustrations. I'll be buying and gifting more copies in the future.

I don't have any small children at home, however, I immediately purchased the e-book and read it after learning a Georgia teacher is facing termination for reading it to her class.
Profile Image for Steve Maxwell.
530 reviews7 followers
March 31, 2023
My Dad has a shadow that’s blue as a berry, and my Mom's is as pink as a blossoming cherry. There’s only those choices, a 2 or a 1. But mine is quite different, it’s both and it’s none. A heartwarming and inspiring book about being true to yourself and moving beyond the gender binary, by best-selling children's book creator Scott Stuart.

A beautiful picture book that explains gender diversity and that it is okay not to fit in.
Profile Image for Rereader.
1,375 reviews137 followers
September 9, 2023
2023 September Reading Challenge
Prompt: read a banned book

So I couldn't find a clear explanation as to why this was banned, but from what I can glean this was banned for "promoting sexual identity and teaching controversial topics".

Also, a teacher got fired for reading this.

Which is dumb and I hope the rest of the internet can agree on. And if you don't and you think this book should be banned, you're wrong, you're ignorant, and you need to re-evaluate your life choices.

This is a book about accepting who you are and understanding that you are not beholden to gender binary nonsense. You should be free to enjoy and express yourself however way you want and others can stuff it if they don't like it. It is positive, it is important, and it is very charming. Be who you want to be, live they way you want to live, and enjoy what you want to enjoy. Its that simple.
Profile Image for Joan.
235 reviews53 followers
September 24, 2023
This book created such a controversy in one of the elementary schools near me. As I understand, a teacher who read this to her students was put on leave, awaiting review, and the book was banned. Don’t ban books. Read it and see. It’s not just gender, it’s about anything that makes a child different.
July 14, 2022
As someone who is cisgender male but has always liked "girl books," flowers, ballet, values feelings, etc. and not cared for sports, competitiveness, being "tough," etc. I connected some to this book. I guess the fact that the first set of things I named are often identified within our culture with femininity and the second with masculinity shows how much our culture still has to go, which is partly what this book is trying to convey. For instance, the child's dad is muscular and looks tough but is the parent more in touch with their feelings, and the child's mother is far from weak but instead works out and is strong.

My coworker and I were both a bit confused at the resolution/teacher's quick turnaround from telling the child "You have to choose to be pink or blue" to "It's okay for everyone to be themselves."

Overall, a cute book that will hopefully help some people reevaluate what are "boy" things and what are "girl" things but it still wasn't spectacular.
Profile Image for Denise Lauron.
540 reviews38 followers
June 12, 2022
I loved this book. I enjoyed it more knowing about the author's first book, My Shadow is Pink. I knew the concept from the first book, so I didn't have to think much about what the author meant when he referred to the child's shadow.

The illustrations and the story were wonderful and I loved that it showed acceptance and friendship.

I would recommend this book to everyone!
Profile Image for Maggie.
38 reviews
Read
July 15, 2022
"I know from outside blue fits like a glove, but my shadow's yellow, which to me feels like love." there's something in my eyes guys
Profile Image for Andreea.
1,466 reviews50 followers
July 14, 2022
The author read the book in a TikTok and did I start crying? Yes, yes, I did! What a beautiful book for the little ones and for everyone.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 242 reviews

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