Illustrator: Nabi H. Ali
Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers on September 14, 2021
Genres: Picture Book
Pages: 40
Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher
Meet Zubi. This joyful Bangladeshi-American girl is ready ot take on the world—starting her first day of school. But when Zubi sees her mother frowning in the mirror and talking about being “too big,” she starts to worry about her own body and how she looks. As her day goes on, she hears more and more people being critical of each other’s and their own bodies. Zubi's day is turning from special to sad . . . until her family help sher see how we can all make the world a more beautiful place by being beautifully ourselves.
I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Zuri Chowdhury is excited for her first day of school. Until she sees her beautiful mother staring at herself in the mirror and complaining that her tummy is getting too big. As the day progresses, Zuri observes other members of her family criticizing their own appearances, and she hears a student call another student fat—and not in a good way! Their words cause her to question her own appearance. If so many beautiful people dislike their bodies, how can she be beautiful?
Beautifully Me is a beautiful story about loving ourselves. Readers will delight in Zuri’s vibrant, bubbly personality, her joyful love for the people around her, and her sorrow that they (sometimes) find it difficult to love themselves. Zuri’s attentiveness to the people around her cautions adult readers that children learn by example. When we hurt ourselves, we also teach them to self-harm.
While the conflict gets resolved quickly and smoothly, Beautifully Me presents a much-needed message for our time and culture. Adults, teens, and children are constantly bombarded with messages in the media that slim is beautiful, and we are pressured to conform to a certain type of beauty. But as Zuri’s family teaches her, true beauty is “how you make people feel and the kind of things you do.”
I also love how Zuri’s family not only teaches her to embrace herself, but also share a thoughtful reflection on the effect of their words on themselves and Zuri. They also consider perspective of the name-caller, that she might be hurting inside. While this doesn’t excuse the name-calling, it implies that there are multiple sides to a story. Zuri, and the children reading this book, will only benefit.
Let’s Chat
Have you read Beautifully Me? What are your thoughts?
How do you show love to yourself? To others?
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