Jacob's Room to Choose

May 27, 2019
In this follow-up to Jacob’s New Dress, both the titular character, who wears a dress, and his friend Sophie, clad in a button-up plaid shirt and slacks, know which bathroom feels right. But Jacob is stared at in the boys’ bathroom, and Sophie has a similar experience in the girls’ room. Compassionate teacher Ms. Reeves is an ally; pointing to symbols representing a girl and a boy, she gently speaks to the whole class: “You know what? A lot of you don’t look like the signs.” The students set out to create new, inclusive bathroom signs: “I have to pee, so let me be!” one reads. Ms. Reeves just might be the real star in the story, as she models how limiting traditional views of gender can be. Case’s smudgy artwork shows the familiar trappings of a cozy library and the energy of an impromptu art project. In an authors’ note, the Hoffmans share their firsthand experience with their gender-nonconforming son. Ages 5–8.

May 17, 2019

PreS-Gr 2-In this follow-up to Jacob's New Dress, Jacob and Sophie try to use the bathroom at school but do not feel safe. Jacob, a boy who wears dresses, is threatened by several kids in the boy's restroom, while Sophie, a girl who dresses in a plaid button down and khakis, is chased out of the girl's restroom. When they explain what happened to their teacher, the woman gathers their class for a lesson: not everyone looks like the bathroom signs for girls and boys, but everyone has to pee! The class takes a little time to consider, but are ultimately inspired. As a group, they make signs affirming everyone's right to use the bathroom without fear. There is no opposition from the school or parents-everyone is completely supportive. An author's note explains the importance of making bathrooms safe for gender nonconforming youth. Case's bright watercolor illustrations show a diverse and engaged classroom, and reinforce the emotional journey of the text. The text, though simple, clearly makes the case for making bathrooms safe for everyone, modeling a simple discussion on the topic for teachers or parents. VERDICT A solid picture book that addresses identity, gender expression, and how to be a good ally. Recommended for purchase.-Kelsey Socha, Ventress Memorial Library, Marshfield, MA

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2019
When two students are bullied in the bathroom, their class makes new rules so that everyone can pee in peace in this follow-up to Jacob's New Dress (2014).Jacob, a white boy with blond hair, and his friend Sophie, a girl with brown skin and Afro-textured hair, need to use the bathroom after library time. Jacob wears a dress; Sophie has on a button-down shirt and khaki trousers. "Do you think it's OK?" they worry together outside the gender-segregated lavs, each marked with the familiar blue, gendered icons. Entering the boys' room, Jacob attracts unwelcoming stares, and Sophie is likewise driven from the girls' room. With the help of their teacher, they work together with their classmates to design new signs and rules so that anyone can use the bathroom without fear. Case's watercolor illustrations match the style of the first book's and fill the page, inviting readers into Jacob's diversely depicted class of students. Unlike in the first book, no children tell Jacob he can't wear a dress, but his classmates still make assumptions about gender based on one another's clothing choices. Their teacher's lesson shows that there are more than two ways to dress--not all boys wear short hair, and not all girls wear long hair or dresses. Even their own classroom represents a spectrum of expressions. While the overall theme emphasizes inclusion, the language never moves beyond "boys and girls" when referring to gender identities; nonbinary identities are not explored.Solid as a stand-alone for new readers or as a continuation of the conversation about gender expression started in the first book. (author's note) (Picture book. 4-7)

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July 1, 2019
The creators of Jacob's New Dress take on a timely subject: public restrooms. When dress-wearing Jacob and his gender-nonconforming friend, Sophie, reveal that neither feels comfortable using the school bathrooms, their teacher helps the class understand the arbitrariness of gender labels. Accompanied by welcoming illustrations, the generally lighthearted story makes its case without much didacticism. An authors' note provides context.

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)