I like the diversity represented on the cover and throughout the illustrations. I do think we need to move away from reinforcing rigid gender roles but this book seems more to build pride in one's gender, which is positive. This is a fun light-hearted read that would be a perfect bedtime read for preschoolers.

Self-esteem books for boys are few and far between, and this one has lots of nice affirmations and sweet, diverse illustrations about the value of boys and the good things they bring to the world. However, the rhyme scheme often feels forced, and the occasional weird phrasing makes the book seem more saccharine than it actually is. Nonetheless, this is a nice choice for someone looking for a general, secular book encouraging boys' self-esteem.

" What are little boys made of? The truest answer is: There is no single recipe. Be the boy you want to be! Little boys are made of dreams and endless possibilty!"

What a lovely book for little boys! This is such an inspiring book with a powerful message about gender roles and sterotypes written in a way that children could easily understand. Society has this stereotypical idea that boys should not cry/shouldn't show their feelings because that means they're too sensitive but WE NEED TO CHANGE THIS! And with the help of this book we've come one step closer to our goal, I'm really happy that this generation is changing!

This is quite a book with very deep observations and study on this gender oriented topic. This can only be done when a 'Mother' start writing about her experiences.

This picture book contains every damn fact which can only be known to the parents while bringing their kids up. My 2 favourite quoted lines from this poetry are:


"Little boys might make mistakes, but they try and try again. They are learning on-the-go, and get better as they grow,"

"What are little boys made of? The truest answer is: There is no single recipe. Be the boy you want to be! Litleboys are made of dreams."

What a marvelous update to an old sing something rhyme. The old rhyme was what are little boys made of snakes and snails and puppy dog tails, and just all these things that we considered so vehemently boy. This book says boys are made of everything and can be anything. They can be happy. They can be sad. They can be in touch with their feelings. They’re helpful. They’re kind. You name it boys can be it. It works quite well, and illustrations are lovely.

* I read children’s books to my service dog, and he interacts with the book.

He have this 4 stars, he likes the positivity in the book and the activities the boys did.

An updated version of a classic poems, this book would serve as a book of affirmations for little boys. It helps erase stereotypes and encourages striving for positive attributes.

This a lovely, affirming book for boys that encourages them to be whole people with limitless potential. Equal weight is given to their ideas, contributions, dreams, and feelings. None of it is really specific to being a boy, but framing the story that way may resonate well with preschoolers/pre-K kids who are working out their identities and learning to identify with various roles. It is possibly a bit long for the targeted age range, so readers may want to focus on the sections that are most relevant to their audience.

The illustrations are lively, detailed, and very inclusive. Lots of boys will be able to read this and see themselves on the page. This has a wonderfully uplifting message and would be a great read for home and school to set a positive tone for the day!

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

I loooooove this book for SEL purposes in schools! And also at home to remind boys that it's okay to cry, it's okay to talk about how you're feeling, it's okay to be there for people and BE WHO YOU WANT TO BE. We don't have to confine boys to these absurd ideologies anymore. We want them to be fully functioning members of society that don't allow their emotions to bottle up, twist, mangle, and come out wrong. We want to let boys know that whoever they are, whatever they feel is OKAY and that they can talk to us about anything without fear of being told "Boys don't do that." Yes, they do! It's part of learning emotional regulation and feeling comfortable in who you are!

I just loved this and need to get this for my nephews. They know these things, but a reminder is always worth it.

Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Wonderland for a free digital copy.

A great book about what makes up the fabric of little boys. Can lead to some great conversations and character development.

I absolutely love this book as a parent to two boys. I love that it talks about being compassionate and empathetic and that it's ok to express your emotions . I feel like our society still stigmatize our boys if they don't fall into the male gender stereotypes of being strong and athletic. I hope there will be more media like this book that breaks down gender stereotypes for boys just like there are now a lot of media that defies gender stereotypes for girls. I hope the publisher will consider putting out a board book edition.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

I received an electronic ARC from SOURCEBOOKS Kids through NetGalley.
3.5 stars rounded up
I appreciate the message which moves beyond the simple nursery rhyme about little boys. Leonard Hill takes readers beyond that to everything little boys can be. They have a broad range of emotions and interests and can work to be whomever they wish to be. I appreciate the affirmations included at the end along with the emphasis on being anything they wish to be. The artwork captures the breadth of little boys so readers can identify with at least one character throughout. Empowering book for families to share.

It's refreshing to see more books coming out that give boys permission to break outdated stigmas and evolve in their own unique way. I love that What Little Boys are Made Of gives children the opportunity to envision themselves as they are, and as they may want to be, with the underlying message that whatever they choose is okay. The illustrations we're engaging and appealing. It is exactly the type of book I would put into my preschool class library.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the gifted copy.

We know the classic saying that boys are made of snips, snails, and puppy dog tails. But the author expands on what they’re actually made of compassion, kindness, and sticky hands just to name a few. This is a great book for people who are expecting a boy.

This book was a breath of fresh air in terms of expanding gendered expectations and even just popular understandings of boyhood. I do wish there was more size representation, I only noticed one fat boy, and that there had been more boys with long hair, and maybe a nod to gender nonconformity. My biggest issue with the book however, was that the rhyme scheme left something to be desired. I felt like every page was meant to be read by a cheer team as if it was the end of the night...like just yell the last line and it will all be ok!

This picture book included sweet illustrations, and a wholesome take on the nursery rhyme "What are Little Boys Made of". The author shows that there is so much more to boys than slime, snails, and puppy dog tails. As a mother of boys, it is so nice to see an empowering book for little boys and to show that they can be anything they want to be.

I recommend this book for libraries, and as a gift for any family with boys.

What a heartwarming little book this is! We see quite a few books for girls and women empowerment. But we also need books for boys. Little ones need to know they don’t have to adhere to the rigid stereotypes of who they should be. This book opens up the endless possibilities of what little boys are made of and who they can be. I love the part about boys expressing their emotions and crying when they feel like it. Another favorite is where the boys know it’s okay to get things wrong and practice harder to learn and become better.
Isn’t that what we should be telling the kids? They don’t have to be invincible or correct all the time! They just have to be open to learning when they are not right. The affirmations at the end of the book can help the little ones become confident, compassionate, and kind.
The illustrations are a treat, and I mean it. Kiddo books, for me, are more about illustrations. The pictures on the pages can directly sit in the child’s mind. Kids notice details without seeming to and can recollect them at random. The kiddo could decorate a cupcake better than I did. ;)
The color scheme on each page is perfect. The illustrations are inclusive and diverse. I wish there was a little more inclusivity, but this is good too.
The font is big and easy to read. I love picture books with large fonts, so that’s another plus. The language is simple enough for little ones to understand. Don’t look for the rhythm (that can affect your reading experience). Go with the flow and enjoy when you see rhyming verses. Read the book with your little boys and talk to them about things that matter.
To summarize, What Little Boys Are Made Of is a beautiful and adorable book that breaks stereotypes and gently nudges kids to be confident in their skin. They deserve to be happy and loved.
I received an ARC from NetGalley, SOURCEBOOKS Kids, and Sourcebooks Wonderland. I am voluntarily leaving a review.

I really enjoyed this book! It was great to read a book that encourages compassion in little boys. It demonstrated the diversity and complexity of boys - not all of them are rough and tumble. My little boy's favorite color is purple and he loves to bake cookies, but he also loves watching PJ Masks. it was nice to find a book as layered as he is. The book is very ethnically diverse, which is great, but I would also like to see more diversity in terms of ableism in the illustrations. Perhaps one of the characters could have a hearing aid?

*I received an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Netgalley!

As adorable as expected!

When I read “What Little Girls Are Made of” a month ago, I wished with all my heart that there would be a similar book for boys. And voila! This one turned up in my life!

Society always makes many assumptions about how girls should live their lives, and this has been criticised aplenty. However, there are an equal number of judgemental statements made about the way boys should follow a pre-set definition of masculinity, but this often goes ignored. Whether it is the ridiculous “boys don’t cry” or the outdated “boys don’t play with dolls” or the restrictive “boys don’t dabble in art/dance”, boys too have suffered over the years. This book throws the traditional idea of “things boys must do” on its head and presents a more modern, realistic, and appropriate list of the same.

The book begins with the introductory lines of the 19th century nursery rhyme titled "What Are Little Boys Made Of?" These go: “What are little boys made of? Snips, snails and puppy-dogs' tails.” (Just in case you didn’t know, the second half of this rhyme is more popular, the one that declares that little girls are made of “Sugar and spice and everything nice.” Both the ideas are equally flawed.) The content then provides an extended and diverse list of what little boys actually do. The book doesn’t shy away from any action not considered “boyish”, and even depicts crying and cooking among many other activities. There are some lovely affirmations at the end that little boys can repeat daily until the positivity seeps into their psyche.

The language is quite easy to understand, and the content having a mix of poetic rhymes and text works to its advantage.

The illustrations by Natalie Vasilica add the perfect charm to the book. What I especially loved is how inclusive the sketches were, even to the point of showing a boy with long hair.

Strongly recommended to every little boy and to every parent who wants to teach their sons how they are wonderful and diverse human beings who needn’t be restricted by the mould society forces them into just by virtue of their XY chromosomes. Suited for ages 3-8.

5 dazzling stars.

My thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Kids, Sourcebooks Wonderland, and NetGalley for the DRC of “What Little Boys Are Made Of”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for the eArc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I appreciated this book's concept and execution a tiny bit more than I did the girl's version of this book (side note: I wish there was a nongendered version as well!) mostly because I feel boys need to be de-programmed from toxic masculinity much more than girls need to be told they can be strong. ((I find that most strong girls know they are strong, the world needs to just accept it))

The same critiques still apply here, in that I've read other books with the same title and concept and this one doesn't do enough to stand out, even though the illustrations were very inclusive of many different people who identify as boys.