What is it about?

My Princess Boy is the story of a four-year-old boy who loves the color pink, playing dress up, and wearing a sparkly tiara. Told from his mother’s point of view, the book explores everyday life for Princess Boy.

What we love about it:

The overall message of My Princess Boy is that the child in the story is happy because the people in his life love him for who he is. The book does a great job of showing how normal Princess Boy’s life is while also addressing some of the challenges he faces.

Several pages highlight how being gender non-conforming does not affect his life. We see Princess Boy playing with his brother and receiving affection from his parents. We even see him declaring himself a princess boy proudly to a group of his peers. However, we also times when his gender identity is mocked. He is laughed at in stores for wanting to purchase “girl” clothing and we see how the narrator, his mother, explains this to him.

My Princess Boy discusses gender non-conformity in a way that children will understand. It does not shy away from discussing the inequities that children like Princess Boy face. The book ends by asking the reader questions like, “If you see a princess boy, will you laugh at him? Will you play with him?” These questions give children the opportunity to reflect on what they just learned.

To hear a reading of the story, check out this clip:

For more on the author discussing the book, watch this short video: