by Beth Cox
illustrated by Samantha Meredith
 
“You are made from stardust…Your body is made of 40 trillion cells!...You are born with 100 billion nerve cells…Your brain helps you to organise the way you think about the world…belonging is about being true to who you are…Your body is your completely unique tool for living your life…all bodies are wonderful”.
 
Subtitled, “An Inclusive Guide to Talking About You”, this superb nonfiction moves deftly from science -what makes us who we are- to society –how the world makes us who we are- to taking action- how to be uniquely you. It’s a remarkable feat and one which is expertly accomplished. We launch with explanations of codes, DNA, genes and zygotes! We find out how a DNA shift can cause deafness, how genes can destroy pigment cells, how chromosomes lead to ‘baby labels’. And then there is the whole business of busy neurons and how the world shapes, or tries to shape, who we are, how we are viewed, how we are stereotyped and how we stereotype others. Finally the book triumphs with an exaltation of being uniquely YOU. It banishes all ideas of what constitutes ‘normality’, whether we’re talking about bodies or identities. And it encourages readers to use their voice for change. 
 
An entirely original lens for looking at diversity and addressing prejudice. ‘Wow! What a huge amount of information presented in an appealing and attractive way. Very inclusive throughout’ (Jayne, Primary Inclusion Manager, Letterbox Library reviewer). Some great material on disabilities, gender identity, stereotyping and discriminations. Age 7-11, Hardback 30pp
 
Themes: Disabilities   Themes: Gender Equality