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Summary
Summary
I Am Perfectly Designed is an exuberant celebration of loving who you are, exactly as you are, from Karamo Brown, the Culture Expert of Netflix's hit series Queer Eye , and Jason Brown--featuring illustrations by Anoosha Syed.
In this empowering ode to modern families, a boy and his father take a joyful walk through the city, discovering all the ways in which they are perfectly designed for each other.
"With tenderness and wit, this story captures the magic of building strong childhood memories. The Browns and Syed celebrate the special bond between parent and child with joy and flair...Syed's bright, cartoon illustrations enrich the tale with a meaningful message of kindness and inclusion."-- Kirkus
Author Notes
Karamo Brown is a TV personality, producer, and host who fixes hearts and minds as the Culture Expert on Netflix's Emmy-winning series, Queer Eye . He made history in 2004 when he appeared on MTV's The Real World as the first openly gay African American reality TV star. In 2007, Karamo learned he had a nine-year-old biological son, Jason, and gained full custody. He later adopted his son's half-brother, Chris, and left the spotlight to become a social worker before making his return to TV. He lives in Los Angeles with his fiancé and two sons.
Jason "Rachel" Brown is a rising young star in Hollywood who has studied dramatic and comedic acting at the University of California, Los Angeles. He often draws on his own life to entertain and inspire, including his experience connecting with his father, Karamo Brown, at the age of ten. Jason lives in Los Angeles, California.
Anoosha Syed is a Pakistani-Canadian illustrator based in Toronto, who has a passion for creating charming characters with an emphasis on diversity and inclusion. She has illustrated picture books, including the recent Bilal Cooks Daal for clients including Random House, Simon & Schuster and Disney Publishing. Anoosha is also a freelance character designer and has worked with Disney Jr and Dreamworks TV.
Reviews (3)
Publisher's Weekly Review
The culture adviser of Queer Eye teams up with one of his sons in a tribute to both the parent-child relationship and the process of growing up. "Perfectly designed" serves as the book's refrain, as the father assures a confident boy that he has all that it takes to explore and succeed in the world, even when the boy gets "mad, or sad, or confused." Told in two voices, the narrative's tone is upbeat and earnest--maybe, at times, a little more so than necessary--but the authors make room for some mild family playfulness. Father and son recall going as waffles and (organic) maple syrup for Halloween, and as readers see a series of family photos arrayed on a table, the son notes, "When I was a baby, I looked just like you.... Only I had no hair, and you had lots. Now," referencing the older Brown's trademark bald pate, "it's the opposite." Illustrations by Syed (Bilal Cooks Daal) have a wide-eyed, Disney animation pep and exude a breezy spirit of inclusivity--the end pages depict the protagonists surrounded by a wide range of happy couples and families (and the rest of the Fab Five). Ages 4--8. (Nov.)
Kirkus Review
A black father and son share a loving, nostalgic dialogue in this empowering picture book.Whether it's a pancake breakfast, playing in the falling leaves of an autumn walk, wearing coordinating Halloween costumes (a bottle of organic maple syrup and a waffle), or enjoying a healthy salad picnic in the park, it is clear that this pair is made for each other. The all-dialogue text is written by real-life father-and-son pair Karamo Brown (of Queer Eye) and Jason Brown; reminiscing through baby pictures, reaching for the stars on a rooftop deck, or pretending to be statues, these characters pull readers in with every turn of the page. "I had such a big baby head!" remarks the boy; "Indeed," replies his father. "But your big baby head was perfectly designed for you." Syed's bright, cartoon illustrations showcase the warmth of city life with an abundance of endearing, diverse families. The artwork includes details among background characters that enrich the tale with a meaningful message of kindness and inclusion, as in T-shirts with such slogans as "Be Kind" and "Feminist," multiple same-sex couples, and characters with various types of religious garb. With tenderness and wit, this story captures the magic of building strong childhood memories.The Browns and Syed celebrate the special bond between parent and child with joy and flair. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Written in the tradition of African American picture-book titles such as Jeannette Caine's Just Us Women (1982) and Will Smith's Just the Two of Us (2001), this father-son story provides another beautiful narrative of what it means to be connected to the unconditional love of a parent. Throughout the book, a young boy and his father take long walks through the neighborhood, engaging in discussions that reinforce their lifelong bond. For instance, on one page the boy asks if his father remembers when they dressed as syrup and waffles for Halloween (adorable!), and the opposing page confirms that Dad remembers and leads to speculation about their next costume. Written by Karamo Brown (of Queer Eye fame) and his son Jason, the text appears as a sweet dialogue between parent and child that, while not always realistic, is brimming with love. Syed's wonderful illustrations depict realistic, colorful images of the characters living in a diverse city, acting as subtle demonstrations of how all children are worthy of love just by being themselves.--Tiffany Flowers Copyright 2019 Booklist
