Body Beautiful

PreS-Gr 3–A self-affirming celebration of the human body in all its forms. Joyful children of varying skin tones are shown both moving and resting their diverse bodies, some of which include accessories like glasses, a cochlear implant, braces, and a wheelchair. Littlebird’s bright illustrations effortlessly show the individuality of human bodies and how they mimic the uniqueness of the natural world like a baby in its mother’s womb mirroring a seed in the ground and galactic bodies emanating from other celestial objects in space. Verde’s tender verse is sparse, allowing readers to take in the colorful spreads as well as the importance of bolded words: unique, miraculous, deserving. The text could work well for dynamic story hours with participants acting out some of what bodies do and express.