Review - Look at Me

Look at Me: a celebration of self, playfulness, and exploration
by Audrey Beth Stein
illustrated by Kristina Neudakhina
Date: 2022
Publisher: Audrey Beth Stein
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 28
Format: e-book
Source: Amazon

What do YOU like to wear? Nail polish? Fancy suits? Pigtails? Monday underwear? Possibilities are endless in this vibrantly illustrated picture book for all genders about self-expression and play.

Feelings and senses take center stage in Look at Me as a diverse cast of children share what they like (and don't like) to wear. "Pants are itchy. I like tights," says one kid. "When I grow up, I'm going to live somewhere warm and be naked all the time," declares another. Look at Me inspires kids to be themselves and to embrace others' differences.

Some of the kids love how they look already. Others want to try something new. A few look the way they do for reasons beyond their control. But whether it's through their hair, their clothes and accessories, or something they were born with, each has their own playful and distinct way of exploring their appearance.

Although no child's race, gender, or disability is explicitly mentioned, the illustrations capture the diversity of the real world. Non-binary and gender-nonconforming characters appear alongside gender-conforming kids and adults.

Thanks to the wide cast of characters, every child who reads Look at Me will find at least one person they relate to in this thoughtful and sweet celebration of self.

Look at Me's bright thoughtful images and artful easy-to-read text inspire introspection and discussion.

Children often don't have the right words to communicate big emotions or physical discomfort. Look at Me gives parents, teachers, and caretakers the jumping off points they need to start a conversation with their kids about identity, gender, and self-expression.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

A book like this might make a reader (especially an adult one) sit and think for a moment about how arbitrary (and silly) some of our society's "rules" are. Look at Me is a celebration of kids being themselves, dressing however they like... whether that's a little boy wearing nail polish, a little girl wearing a suit, or a child of unspecified gender wearing nothing but underpants. I can see some of the sentiments being quite relatable to many children.

That said, I'm not sure I love the execution. The text is sparse and the illustrations are not especially appealing. But I do have to commend the overall intent; it's good to see this theme appearing more in children's books. Everybody should have the freedom to be themselves, and there are more important things to worry about than policing the style choices of children.

So, I would recommend this one. Parents looking for books with similar themes might also want to check out Julián Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love, Pink Is for Everybody! by Ella Russell, and Pink Is for Boys by Robb Pearlman.

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.33 out of 5