JAMIE’S CLASS HAS SOMETHING TO SAY

A classroom of children practice expressing preferences with their teacher and caregivers.

A bright yellow school bus drops off Jamie, who is light-skinned with reddish-brown hair, and their classmates for Family Day at a suburban school building. Jamie’s peers discuss the ways their caregivers misunderstand them. Jamie admires the unicorn shirt worn by Alicia, a blond, light-skinned child. Alicia replies, “My mom made me wear it,” and Jamie offers their green sweater to cover it up. Joey, a brown-skinned child with a tight Afro, complains, “My dad wants me to play soccer, but I want to go to art class with Jamie,” and Xavier, who has brown hair and light skin, wishes his uncle would not shame him for crying. The group is rounded out by Cynthia, who has light skin and a blue hijab, who longs to play with her food instead of focusing on manners. The children resolve their issues neatly and, with their teacher’s blessing, organize an art project to share their truths with their caregivers. Chunky black text is paired with illustrations filled with cheerful greens, calm blues, and warm browns. Though the story is well intentioned, it lacks verve; the children’s distress about gender norms and expected behavior feels less like a narrative and more like a laundry list of woes. Backmatter includes helpful notes about listening to and offering decision-making power to children whenever possible. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

An unentertaining presentation of complex topics.