Today we are very excited to share an interview with author Lindz Amer!
Read on to learn more about the author, the book, and a giveaway!
Meet the Author: Lindz Amer
Lindz Amer (they/them) creates LGBTQ+ and social justice media for kids and families. They wrote, produced, and cohosted Queer Kid Stuff—an original LGBTQ+ educational web series for ages three and up—which The Huffington Post called a “groundbreaking YouTube educational resource.” They host the Rainbow Parenting podcast and wrote Rainbow Parenting, a queer and gender-affirming parenting guidebook for grown-ups, and the picture book Hooray for She, He, Ze, and They!. They also write and consult for preschool television. You can find them online at LindzAmer.com.
Website * Instagram * X * TikTok * YouTube
About the Book: Hooray for She, He, Ze, and They!
In this joyous picture book exploration of gender euphoria, celebrated Queer Kid Stuff and The Rainbow Parenting podcast host Lindz Amer teaches kids about all the ways pronouns can be joyful, defining, and empowering.
Everyone has a pronoun. There are hes. There are shes. There are theys. There are zes and hirs and faes and pers and more! What’s yours?
Finding the right pronoun for you feels like a warm hug and helps you be your most wonderful self. This gentle and whimsical guide to pronoun language encourages self-discovery and celebrates the gender euphoria of feeling like you!
~Author Chat~
YABC: What gave you the inspiration to write Hooray for She, He, Ze, and They!?
A lot of my work really comes down to creating what I wish I’d had when I was a kid. I dedicated the book to my childhood self and I’d say that was certainly the inspiration! I wanted to continue the work that I do in my webseries but in a physical medium that can live on a child’s home bookshelf and in their classroom. If I’d had a book like this (or like so many of the other wonderful LGBTQ+ picture books out there) I always wonder if my life would have been different, if figuring myself out would have been less painful if I’d had language to describe how I felt.
YABC: Which came first, the concept, landscape, characters, or something else?
I think it really started with wanting to talk about gender and pronouns in a way that would be super accessible and relatable for kids. An early draft of it looked completely different! For this version, it really came down to the imagery. I’m a super visual person and metaphor and visual imagery have always been strengths of mine. Pairing the feeling I wanted to describe to the different images and visualizations really informed the writing process!
YABC: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
Oh gosh, I think it probably became more solid for me in high school. I was a huge reader as a kid and always enjoyed expressing myself through writing, but I really started using it as a medium of expression when I was going through a tough time in high school. I experimented with a bunch of different mediums from (very angsty in a super cringe way) poetry, to playwriting, to prose, and eventually to screenwriting which is where I do most of my writing for kids these days!
YABC: How do you keep your ‘voice’ true to the age category you are writing within?
I talk a lot about this idea of “going under the doorknob.” Of getting down to a child’s level and looking at ideas, concepts, and aesthetics that are familiar to them in order to explain pretty much anything. I’m also a music and drama teacher in PreK and elementary schools so it really helps to just be around young people on a regular basis to know how their brains work.
YABC: What’s up next for you?
Lots of stuff! I’ve been putting a lot of energy into creating work through my organization Queer Kid Stuff that started as a webseries and has turned into a whole lot more. 2024 is going to be a really exciting year for us. We’re actively working on bringing back our flagship webseries to meet the current moment and figuring out new ways to support LGBTQ+ educators and support grown ups who want to raise kids in queer and gender-affirming ways, so there’s lots to come! Folks can keep up on all of that through the QKS newsletter and website!
YABC: What is the main message or lesson you would like your reader to remember from Hooray for She, He, Ze, and They!?
I hope the book sparks a conversation. It ends with a question and I hope families can use the book as a catalyst to establish an ongoing pronoun practice to have open conversations about their gender and how it might shift and move on even a day to day basis, especially while young kids are still experimenting with their identities and trying out different words to see how they feel. Essentially, I hope the book serves as a beginning.
YABC: What can readers expect to find in your book?
Readers can expect beautiful textural and vibrant images (illustrated by the brilliant Kip Alizadeh!) paired with descriptive visual language that teaches kids about pronouns by helping them understand how these words can make them feel. It’s really a book that uses a literacy lesson around pronouns to help kids understand the emotional quality of gender euphoria.
YABC: What do you do when you procrastinate?
I watch a lot of TV! Or I’ll work on literally anything else on my to do list other than the thing I’m supposed to be doing.
YABC: Is there an organization or cause that is close to your heart?
My primary advocacy is around LGBTQ+ liberation and more specifically trans rights and intersections with youth. There are lots of fantastic organizations. My favorite holiday-time org is Trans Santa, they provide gifts to trans kids during the holiday season. And I always encourage folks to give to their local LGBTQ+ youth organizations and LGBTQ+ community centers with family programming!
YABC: Is there anything that you would like to add?
My parenting book Rainbow Parenting: Your Guide to Raising Queer Kids and Their Allies is a perfect companion to the picture book if adults are looking for more context for bringing the picture book into their homes. Folks can also visit the Queer Kid Stuff website to learn more about what we do and join our newsletter to stay in the loop and get helpful resources in their inbox!
Title: Hooray for She, He, Ze, and They!
Author: Lindz Amer
Illustrator: Kip Alizadeh
ISBN-13: 9781665931144
ISBN-10: 1665931140
On-sale date: Tuesday, February 27, 2024
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Imprint: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Ages: 4-8; Grades P-3
*Giveaway Details*
Three (3) winners will receive a copy of Hooray for She, He, Ze, and They! (Lindz Amer) ~ US Only (No P.O. Boxes)!
*Click the Rafflecopter link below to enter the giveaway!*
As a nonbinary person I need more PBs that focus on trans and gender diverse kids and pronouns and things like that! I want this book so badly!!!!
I’m a transdad, so I NEED this one book for my son.
Thank you for writing this book.
The cover is super cute and this is a book everyone needs to read. I can’t wait!