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In this playful, colorful, and educational book for readers of all ages, readers meet Stan and Allen, two alligator friends. Stan identifies as non-binary. When Stan and Allen visit their favorite lemonade shop, the Mud Slug, a giraffe named Gregory accidentally misgenders Stan. When Allen provides a gentle and careful correction to Gregory, a unique conversation about gender identification and pronouns blossoms. As Stan and Allen are helping Gregory understand what it means to be non-binary, Ryan enters the Mud Slug, wanting to return a pink umbrella he found on the street. Just as Ryan exclaims, “Pink is for Girls!” Stan clarifies that they love pink and that pink can be for anyone. From there, a friendly conversation about their gender identification ensues.
This book is part children’s book and part educational tool. The colorful artwork will draw young readers into its pages. Its message about equality and respect has the potential to inform readers of all ages. All of the characters are likable and relatable. Their personable approaches to helping educate others so that everyone feels included and understood will inspire readers to make their own efforts to do so. To help readers even more, the book contains definitions of non-binary and a “Key Things to Remember” section that will help them. For those seeking to adapt their environments and personal actions to be more equitable and inclusive, the book also includes a list of gender-neutral greetings that readers can try. Informative and fun, this book is a great conversation-opener about gender.