Member Reviews
This book is super cute and informative! I love the activity in the back of the book to "make your own pride flag." I don't know that it would necessarily hold the attention of any of the littles I know, but I'm excited to give it a shot!
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Big Book of Pride Flags is such a adorable book. It is pretty to look at, simple to understand and very informational. It is a great way to teach kids about sexuality and gender identity in simple terms.
I loved the cute illustrations and how the colours of the individual flags are used for all other drawings about it.
It is just a wholesome and entertaining book. Perfect for parents who want to teach their kids about Pride.
(I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.)
I believe this is a great introduction to LGBTQ+ identities/flags for children and maybe for some people who not know much about the different labels and terms on this topic. Along with every flag, there were short explanations of the identity they represent. I thought it was very cool that they also mentioned the creators of the flags and the year when they originated,
As would be expected in a children's book, the definitions were very simplified and sometimes the wording was not completely accurate (e.g., lesbiansm, asexuality). I don't think this was done with malice at all; rather, these topics can be very intricate and explaining every nuance to children (or to anyone, for that matter) must be no easy task, but this is definitely a step in the right direction.
And I almost forgot to say this, but the illustrations are very diverse and cute as well, which is always a plus for me!
Thank you to NetGalley and Publishers for this ARC
I found this to be a brilliant tool, not only for our son but also for us! lovely illustrations help bring this book to life!
A lovely book to introduce aspects of the LGBTQ+ community to young people/ people not aware of the different genders and sexualities which exist.
The artwork is lovely in this book, and I really enjoy the different races, genders and abilities depicted within the pages.
I do which there was less of a focus on sexual preference and more towards physical attraction - as this book is aimed at younger readers I feel ‘physical attraction’ may be more welcoming language to parents/guardians and would help to ease the taboos of sexuality & gender by making it a little bit less about sex.
The definitions are succinct and whilst that is beneficial, I do feel some of the wording could be corrected/ changed as others have noted “lacks” in terms of asexuality denotes something which is missing/ making something less than/ empty. Whilst Asexual people can frequently feel underrepresented as it isn’t that they lack or are missing sexual/physical attraction, just that they do not experience it/ experience it in the same way as others.
I feel this book is a good beginning, however with some further editing and the inclusion of more sexual items/ genders it could gain that 5th star I’ve missed off in this review.
I also feel the inclusion of Two Spirit could also help to open the conversation to inclusion of genders experienced by certain other minority groups/ demographics.
As a Queer woman, I feel the last pages, whilst interactive in drawing your own pride flag, could miss the point or result in an almost negative reaction - not every person who reads or experiences this book may have be able to connect with it directly as they may identify as heterosexual and/or cisgender. Whilst this books purpose, like much of our community intends to welcome and include everyone, and provide knowledge to everyone and not just those who identify as LGBT+ I feel this may be a space where the Ally flag should be included.
In the draw your own flag section, to a child they may read that, or an educator may deliver that, as “draw what you relate to/ what you feel represents you” and if a child does not relate to the flags of the book, or feel represented by them, then they will be lost and so will part of the books meaning.
I believe this books intention is to normalise, explain and support the LGBT+ community and thus should include the importance of our Allies and we should welcome them also.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with this Advanced Reader Copy. I have also shared this review on my Goodreads profile and will share it on the books official publication date.
A very cute book about the pride flags of the LGBTQIA+ community, their meaning and their history.
The language is quite simple and easy to understand but I still feel like a pre-elementary school kid, would need someone to read this with, in order to have some things properly explained.
Although I know that some people have criticized the way this book defined some terms such as lesbianism and asexuality, but I am not convinced that this was done with malice. But then again, there is still room for improvement.
The room for improvement thing, also goes to stuff such as the inclusion of more flags, which is a fair request, but they can always come up with a second book.
By the way, if I hear any more people saying that A stands for Ally and that they should have included that flag, I am going to lose it. A stands for Asexuality. Being an ally is a different thing and they could make a different book about it, but not as a part of the pride flags!
Oh, and for your information, the best part of the book was definitely the art style!
The only part I didn't quite get, was at the end, where the children were asked to draw their own pride flag. I didn't understand the meaning of this.
Their own pride flag as in "Which one was your favourite?" As in "Which one do you identify with?" Or as in "Paint a flag that symbolises the things you are proud of?" Because all these are complicated questions that can lead to several interpretations/misinterpretations.
Beautiful, inclusive book! Can't wait to get this into school libraries to be a mirror or a window for youth.
5.0/5
This book is AMAZING!!! I learned so much about different communities and representations in such a short and simple kids' book. I loved the illustrations and the simplicity, I feel like this would be such a great book to have around young kids that are starting to notice different flags and color combinations and wondering what they mean. Highly recommend this for all ages!!
The Big Book of Pride Flags is a simple book that explains for all. This book is wonderfully affirming for youth who may identify out of the norm and also an excellent reference for someone who is cis-gendered but wants to learn more to become a better ally. I would recommend this as a book for all.
Inclusiveness and transparency are needed in children’s books, This one had it all. It was a bit of an info dump, but it was all the information that was needed. The illustrations were beautiful and the colors popped. I can’t wait to see this option on the shelves for our youth.
I really liked this book, and I think physical copies would be very beneficial for those who want to read it to their kids due to the hands-on activity in the back! I admit I *thought* I knew the history behind some of these flags (such as the bisexual one) but I was wrong! I learned a lot and think this would be great for kids trying to learn about pride flags, as well as people of all ages.
The Big Book of Pride Flags es un excelente libro para los pequeños que no posean conocimiento alguno en el tema de las banderas de la comunidad LGBTQIA+. Incluso, también sirve de mucha ayuda para los adultos que no saben mucho del tema. Como miembro de la comunidad LGBTQIA+ me siento feliz que las nuevas generaciones tengan recursos como este a su disponibilidad. Contiene información e ilustraciones muy valiosas para todos sin importar la edad. La única razón por la que no le doy cinco estrellas a este libro es porque mucha de la información que se provee parece sacada directamente de internet. Considero que la información puede ser presentada de una manera más llamativa sin desviarse del tema. Todo lo demás relacionado a el libro me parece perfecto. ¡Estaré hablándole a todos en la comunidad de The Big Book of Pride Flags!
This book was absolutely phenomenal. As a queer adult I wish that I had had a book like this growing up. It is amazing to see that the youth of new generations will have books like this as they grow up and maybe not be as scared as generations before them if they start to question their sexual or gender identity.
I thought I knew about each pride flag, but I learned so much from this boo ! Even adult who want to learn more about what each pride flag should pick this up, it's so informative.
Informative book with incredible art! I had so much fun learning about different identities within the LGBTQIA+ umbrella. Books like these are great as an educational tool but also a great way of normalising many identities.
I hope there are more books as the LGBTQIA+ community is vast and books like these are great at highlighting these communities.
I see a good value in this book both for children and adults once it is fleshed out and complete. There is good information the can support learning about and appreciating diverse ways of living and loving. Reading the book helped to broaden my perspectives. It will so the same for others, especially children helping them to see the rainbow of ways people live, identify and love. The book needs a lot of work to fully document the different flags and types of pride they represent. Now the coverage is very uneven and incomplete. It is not ready for publication. Some of the chapters, if you can call them that, would be more confusing rather than illustrative, for children. I wanted more and would want more for any children I would use this book to introduce this book to. Stronger and consistent coverage of each flag and the pride it represents will make this a valuable tool. This really feels like a first draft. they layout, at least as it appeared in the Kindle version I reviewed, needs a major redesign to be clear and easy to follow.
I received an advanced reader copy of The Big Book of Pride Flags by Jessica Kingsley in exchange for an honest review.
The Big Book of Pride Flags is a great reference guide. Many people get overwhelmed by the amount of different queer identities and Pride flags there now are, and this book explains the meaning behind each of them with easy, accessible language. It includes the history of the original Pride flag, and the ways in which it has evolved over the years, from removing to adding different stripes with new meanings. There are also some possibly lesser known identities included in this book, such as demisexual, polysexual, and intersex, so not only will you learn about the various flags, but you can also learn and understand more people's identities.
The Big Book of Pride Flags was illustrated by Jem Milton. Their art style of this book is really pretty. I love the way they show each flag multiple ways. First there's the big one at the start of each identity, and then they'll represent it on little triangle banner flags, or a hanky in someone's pocket, or on a tshirt. They also show a variety of people, so the ready can see that queer can look like anybody. I think that will be a great educational moment. The book also ends with a blank flag which its readers can color in, so they can take Pride in what they love.
Overall I think this book will be an excellent tool in teaching kids about queer identities, and can even be helpful for an adult looking to know more about queer people. Thank you Jessica Kingsley Publishers and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.
A great resource to see what all the pride flags mean and who they represent! I think this would be a great addition to any library.
I loved the bright, vibrant pictures throughout this book and the simple explanations for every flag that allows any reading level to understand the flags and their respective identities. I do wish the people on the pages looked more like their corresponding flag's creator but I also love that the people in the book are so inclusive and diverse.
I received an electronic ARC from Jessica Kingsley Publishers through NetGalley.
Informative and inclusive book that explains Pride Flags from the first one created in 1978 by Baker. The brightly colored illustrations and clear definitions help readers of all ages learn. I saw flags I did not know and appreciated the concise definitions for those who are represented by these flags. The brief history included at the end of the book pulls the rest together in one simple to follow location. Definitely a reference book to use as a starting place for learning and growth.
A phenomenal kids' reference book! I learned so much about identifying each pride flag, it's meaning, and it's history. The illustrations are catchy and just enough for the text included on each page. Not only do we learn about who designed each flag and additional background info, but the text also gives basic definitions (i.e. "a lesbian is a woman who is attracted to other women.") It has a well-organized format, provides welcoming and cheerful illustrations, it's concise but not dry, and of course shows a diverse/inclusive cast of characters. Children and adults alike have so much to learn from this book!