Princess Pete

Pete likes a lot of things; playing with makeup, playing in the mud, wearing shorts, sandals, flowery clothes, and playing with the boys and the girls. Some people are confused when they meet Pete and question if they’re a boy or a girl but Pete is just Pete.

What I Liked: The story begins by Pete introducing themselves to us and explaining how they are a lot like us but also more like themselves. The story then goes on to show us the various things that Pete does on a regular basis and how their parents play a role in those activities. It's amazing to see how the parents engage with Pete and encourage the things they like, and how they step in to answer others' questions about their child.

The illustrations do a great job of using color to showcase movement and the different activities that Pete engages with others in. It’s fascinating to see how the illustrator depicts both boys and girls, and the variety we get for both of these genders in the clothes they wear, their hair style, etc. It’s also great to see that the activities that each group is doing aren’t stereotypically one gender vs the other, for example they have boy drawing, and playing sports, and girls are running racers, and playing dress up.

This book does a great job of explaining gender identity and how someone might express their gender. It highlights how certain clothes, colors, and titles don’t belong to one gender or another and it showcases the importance of love and support for a child.

Final Verdict: Princess Pete is a heartwarming and sweet story about a child who is loved as they are and who gets the chance to explore gender identity and expression. This book is a great starting point to introducing gender to children and explaining to them how people are just themselves regardless of the gender society ascribes to them. Children ages 3 and up will enjoy the vibrant illustrations and how exciting it is to see Pete being himself and having fun as they enjoy their friends and family.