Mixed Me!

Gr 2-5—A little boy with wildly curly hair navigates the social terrain of being a biracial child. Diggs's short, choppy, rhyming verses convey the busyness of a kid who likes "to go FAST!" All through his day he encounters people staring and asking questions. "See, my dad's a deep brown and my mom's rich cream and honey. Then people see me, and they look at us funny." Diggs very adeptly conveys the feelings a mixed child experiences and also brings a message of acceptance without being didactic. Evans's mixed-media watercolor and pencil illustrations are the perfect accompaniment to this well-written, fun story of acceptance, friendship, and love. The text, colors, and design make this a good choice for read-alouds, but there are many details in the artwork (usually containing the word mixed or a synonym thereof) that make it good for one-on-one sharing. VERDICT A stellar first purchase and a necessary book for all collections.—Jennifer Steib Simmons, Anderson County Library, SC

"See, my dad's a deep brown and my mom's rich cream and honey. Then people see me, and they look at us funny." Diggs and Evans follow 2011's Chocolate Me! with a boy's utterly self-confident ode to his family and himself. Mike has his mother's red hair, and it spills across the pages like a cumulus crowd as he races around the neighborhood and the soccer field--this is a boy on the move. Mike's unerring sense of self ("I'm a beautiful blend of dark and light") and the powerful love that surrounds him make this a rewarding, valuable read for families of any makeup. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Tina Wexler, ICM. Illustrator's agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House. (Oct.)