You Do You-nicorn

The main character, a gender fluid child, is encouraged to be themselves. That could mean enjoying the flowers and growing vegetables, playing many different musical instruments, or exploring space, or doing nothing at all. It is okay if friends are different too. They may want to change their name (from a boy’s to a girl’s), wear outlandish clothes, or simply do nothing. The main message is to be yourself!

The full-page, full-colour illustrations in cartoon format complement and enhance the meaning in the text. The reader sees the child wearing a pride flag as part of their costume. The group of children are depicted as diverse, with a variety of skin colours, and ethnicities. Some of the children are gender fluid. One is in a wheelchair. The children wear a wide variety of clothing, play a variety of musical instruments, and have more than one way of eating a pizza.
The author runs the theme of unicorn (one of a kind) throughout the book to emphasize the importance of the individual. References to the flute-icon, the Moon-icon, the spoon-icorn, and boot-icon are examples of the language used.

At the end of You Do You-nicorn, there is a page of push-out paper pieces, along with instructions to make a You-Nicorn Headband. The instructions given are how to assemble the paper pieces and an invitation to accessorize the way you like. Remember-you do YOU!

Young children will enjoy having You Do You-nicorn read to them and have fun making the headband.