School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 3--Marley is worried. Their grandparent Zaza is excited about the upcoming Pride Parade, but Marley, a Black nonbinary child with sensory sensitivity, is worried about the noise and crowds and fears getting lost. Zaza is getting an award for their work for the LBGTQIA+ community and Marley wants to be there. Ultimately, Marley gathers their strength, joins a very supportive Zaza, and finds caring and protective friends. Seeing the joy and delight, as well as pride, in celebrating who they are, along with the acceptance of their new friends, enables Marley to overcome fear and anxiety. Brightly colored illustrations depict a community of many skin colors and abilities. The thorough afterword offers definitions, appropriate pronoun use, depictions of pride flags, and history, too. Educators may want to supplement this with some further reading. This sensitive work will be a valuable teaching tool to support children with questions concerning themselves or their friends. VERDICT A sensitive work, based in bittersweet lessons, this is also a practical guide to overcoming anxiety with the help of others.--Eva Elisabeth VonAncken
Publisher's Weekly Review
It's Pride Month, and Marley, a Black transgender child who has sensory sensitivities, is anxious about the upcoming festivities. But their grandparent, Zaza, is receiving an award for transgender advocacy and, after years of skipping Pride, Marley wants to attend. Preparations include self-talk and deep breaths as well as rounding up essentials (noise-cancelling headphones, a fidget spinner, and a favorite stuffed bunny), and Zaza offers comfort when things feel difficult ("If you want to turn back, we can head right on home"). But the day shows Marley that "You belong here. You aren't doing this alone," and prompts an experience of lightness and inclusion. Retener celebrates the communal spirit of Pride in this lively intersectional jaunt, which respects Marley's boundaries through open communication. Wiley's stylistically flat digital art supplies an eye-catching tableau of textural effects and solid rainbow colors, and inclusive character designs reflect a community of various abilities, body types, and skin tones. Detailed back matter, including a "What if you don't like parades?" note, concludes. Ages 3--9. (Apr.)
Kirkus Review
A Black nonbinary child finds ways to navigate their sensory sensitivities during Pride. Every June, Marley wants nothing more than to join their grandparent Zaza at the Pride celebrations. And every June, just the thought of big crowds and loud noises makes Marley tense up with nerves, and, with a mixture of relief and disappointment, they tell Zaza to go without them. But this year, Zaza is receiving an award for their work with the trans community, and Marley refuses to miss it. Luckily, Marley has plenty of tools at their disposal--affirmations, breath work, noise-canceling headphones, and a stuffy to hug--and when the noise and bustle become overwhelming, Zaza is there to literally lift them up and remind them that, party or no, Pride is community and Marley is not alone. By the day's end, Marley has made new friends, celebrated their grandparent, and soaked up the sustaining joy of belonging. Retener's refreshingly inclusive tale lets young readers with sensory sensitivities see themselves not only in a book, but at Pride as well. Notably, the author makes clear that inaccessibility, not sensory needs, is the problem to be solved. Just as important is the inclusion modeled in Wiley's vivid illustrations, which depict a Black queer protagonist, multiple gender-expansive and -exploring support characters, and intergenerational queer representation. Color-saturated, cut-paper-style spreads capture the exuberance and cacophony of Pride celebration yet give both Marley and readers visual breathing room. Zaza is Black; other characters are diverse. Joyfully affirming. (glossary, the history of Pride) (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
