Praise for Calvin:
The 2022 Lambda Literary Award Winner in the LGBTQ Children’s/Middle Grade category
A 2022 Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year
A 2022 ALA Rainbow Book List Top Ten Title for Young Readers
A 2022 NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Book Pick
“Gives transgender youth a superhero. Illustrations by Kayla Herren are full of bright, vivid pastels, showing a joyful Calvin and a diverse group of classmates. An intentional, inclusive book.” —The Boston Globe
★ “This is one happy book that reflects an idealized world, a way we all wish it could be, and that’s all right. Illustrator Harren’s softly colored, realistic pictures capture that world and Calvin’s look perfectly—he’s cute as the proverbial button. Finally, the coauthors write with gentle insight, for, as they share in an endnote, they have a trans child themselves.” —Booklist, starred review
“This transition story depicts a community cultivating an affirming environment in which a child can flourish. . . Harren’s warm, expressive illustrations communicate much of the emotion in the story and are populated with diverse background characters who have various body sizes, skin colors, hair textures, and disabilities. A valuable model of intentional, compassionate response to gender expansive kids and their needs.” —Kirkus Reviews
“The bright and engaging illustrations capture Calvin’s emotional journey very effectively and feature a diverse community. The author’s note is affirming and acknowledges the experiences of the authors who are parents of two children, one of whom identifies as transgender. . . Calvin is a hero for young people who need support in voicing their essential selves, and also for those children who need to see how easy it is to be an ally to others. This addition to the growing list of titles that feature transgender characters is most welcome!” —School Library Journal
“Harren’s … soft, retro palette and colored pencil-esque linework are reminiscent of Leo and Diane Dillon . . . [and] gives the book a cheerful energy; Calvin is impossibly adorable, with a button nose, dimpled cheeks, and wildly curly hair, and his multi-racial family would fit perfectly in the work of a modern Norman Rockwell. The intentionally diverse cast includes various body types, physical disabilities, and even freckles and vitiligo, making this an excellent addition alongside Kyle Lukoff’s When Aiden Became a Brother to bring more inclusivity to Trans Day of Visibility and Pride displays.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
“Calvin is a perfect book to help readers understand and comprehend the perspective of a transgender child. It’s heartwarming, honest, filled with beautiful illustrations and provides a comforting tool for any child who may be nervous about presenting their true selves to the world that surrounds them.” —Jeanette Jennings, “I am Jazz” TV series and President of the Transkids Purple Rainbow Foundation
“Calvin is an absolute delight. I couldn’t even get through the first few pages without crying happy tears. What a heartfelt, beautiful book—one that I hope every kid, parent, and educator reads. Chances are there’s a Calvin somewhere in your life, and I hope you take the time to hear their story.” —Robbie Couch, author of The Sky Blues
“Calvin is the heartwarming and affirming story all trans children deserve. Everyone can learn what acceptance looks like from this book.” —Amanda Jetté Knox, author of Love Lives Here and LGBTQ advocate
“With pitch-perfect text and beautiful artwork, Calvin hits all the right notes. This informative, inclusive and affirmative story will have you rooting for Calvin all the way through. Bravo Calvin!” —Jason Chin, author, illustrator, Caldecott winner
“Calvin's story—of finding his identity and seeking love and support from the people in his life—is timeless, but it's especially important in this moment when the rights of trans youth are under attack. The story of Calvin is charming and engaging, with beautiful illustrations, and is the perfect addition to any family's home or school's library.” —Rebecca Kling, transgender educator and activist
12/17/2021
Gr 1–2—"For as long as I could remember, I knew I was a boy." This opening line places a young child in the center of his story about gender identity and courage. Just before going on a family trip to visit his grandparents, the boy (who chooses not to share his name until the end of the story) faces his fears and his "what-ifs" and tells his parents (his father is dark-skinned, and his mother appears white) that he is not a girl as they had thought since birth. The boy is affirmed and supported by all those who love him, and he has a wonderful summer making new friends and wearing the clothes in which he feels most comfortable. A new haircut helps him see himself more accurately, but the feeling of isolation and the "what ifs" are front and center in his thoughts the night before the school year begins. With some deep breathing and his parents by his side, the boy goes to school only to find that he is accepted for who he is, that being Calvin is his truth, and that speaking that truth makes the "what-ifs" melt away. The bright and engaging illustrations capture Calvin's emotional journey very effectively and feature a diverse community. The author's note is affirming and acknowledges the experiences of the authors who are parents of two children, one of whom identifies as transgender. This is an optimistic, almost idyllic, story of a young person being accepted for who they are and should be the experience that all children experience as they are discovering and sharing their truths. VERDICT Calvin is a hero for young people who need support in voicing their essential selves, and also for those children who need to see how easy it is to be an ally to others. This addition to the growing list of titles that feature transgender characters is most welcome!—John Scott, Baltimore County P.S.
2021-12-03
After coming out to his family as transgender, a biracial (half Black, half White) boy thrives.
A young, brown-skinned child who presents as a girl has always felt like a boy inside and wants to be called Calvin. Admitting this openly is scary, but with loving parental support, the child begins to express his true self. He, his mother, and his father spend the summer at his grandparents’ house, a vacation that turns out to be “the best ever.” The family have fun visiting a comic-book convention and a waterpark where Calvin gets to wear trunks for the first time and makes a friend with whom he proudly shares his new name. Before school reopens, Calvin’s family helps him shop for boy clothing, and his grandfather cuts off his hair. Calvin worries his classmates won’t accept him, but his friends and teachers readily validate his gender expression, bolstering his confidence and joy. This transition story depicts a community cultivating an affirming environment in which a child can flourish. The first-person narration reveals Calvin’s inner fears, but his identity and transition never cause external conflict, a welcome departure from the problem-focused storylines of other coming-out picture books written by cisgender adults. However, the text emphasizes that Calvin’s gender is in his heart and brain, perpetuating a problematic narrative that divorces transgender people from their bodies. Harren’s warm, expressive illustrations communicate much of the emotion in the story and are populated with diverse background characters who have various body sizes, skin colors, hair textures, and disabilities. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A valuable model of intentional, compassionate response to gender expansive kids and their needs. (author's note) (Picture book. 4-8)
