Look at Me
What do YOU like to wear? Nail polish? Fancy suits? Pigtails? Monday underwear? Possibilities are endless in this vibrantly illustrated picture book for all genders about self-expression and play.
written by Audrey Beth Stein and illustrated by Kristina Neudakhina
buy now: All She Wrote Books | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Bookshop.org | Porter Square Books
Publication date: December 2021
ISBN: 978-0-578-96531-4 (Hardcover)
hardcover, paperback (Amazon-only), Kindle, and EPUB editions
Hardcover distribution: Ingram
EPUB distribution: Draft2Digital (to OverDrive, Baker & Taylor, bibliotheca, BorrowBox, and retailers)
Publication slip
Feelings and senses take center stage in Look at Me as a diverse cast of children share what they like (and don’t like) to wear. “Pants are itchy. I like tights,” says one kid. “When I grow up, I’m going to live somewhere warm and be naked all the time,” declares another. Look at Me inspires kids to be themselves and to embrace others’ differences.
Some of the kids love how they look already. Others want to try something new. A few look the way they do for reasons beyond their control. But whether it’s through their hair, their clothes and accessories, or something they were born with, each has their own playful and distinct way of exploring their appearance.
Although no child’s race, gender, or disability is explicitly mentioned, the illustrations capture the diversity of the real world. Non-binary and gender-nonconforming characters appear alongside gender- conforming kids and adults.
Thanks to the wide cast of characters, every child who reads Look at Me will find at least one person they relate to in this thoughtful and sweet celebration of self.
Look at Me’s bright thoughtful images and artful easy-to-read text inspire introspection and discussion.
Children often don’t have the right words to communicate big emotions or physical discomfort. Look at Me gives parents, teachers, and caretakers the jumping off points they need to start a conversation with their kids about identity, gender, and self-expression.
How you can help... even if you don't read picture books.
- Buy copies for friends
- Ask your local or hometown library to add Look at Me to their collection
- Ask your local preschools and elementary schools to order copies of Look at Me for their libraries and classrooms
- Ask a school, library, or classroom teacher if you can donate a copy of Look at Me
- Review the book... an honest 4- or 5-star review helps sales
- Post about Look at Me on social media
- Share why books like this matter to YOU
Here's a link to the publication slip for Look at Me. It has a book description along with publication and distribution information. You can download and email this PDF to librarians, teachers, and administrators, along with few words of your own, to encourage them to purchase the book.
Have a peek inside.
Kristina and I worked on this book entirely remotely, sharing files and messages electronically between Russia and the United States, talking over Zoom.
My author proof copy of the book came from Tennessee or Pennsylvania, I believe. Her illustrator copies were printed in the U.K., and I almost thought the tracking updates from UPS were spam at first (Russian at the top, English faaar down below, with familiar brown-and-yellow branding that made me take a closer look).
It was such a thrill to know the book had made it into Kristina's hands, and to receive these wonderful photos from her!
