What Are Your Words?: A Book About Pronouns

by Katherine Locke, Anne Passchier (Illustrator)

Overview

Follow Ari through their neighborhood as they try to find their words in this sweet, accessible introduction to gender-inclusive pronouns that is perfect for readers of all ages.
 
Whenever Ari's Uncle Lior comes to visit, they ask Ari one question: "What are your words?" Some days Ari uses she/her. Other days Ari uses he/him. But on the day of the neighborhood's big summer bash, Ari doesn't know what words to use. On the way to the party, Ari and Lior meet lots of neighbors and learn the words each of them use to describe themselves, including pronouns like she/her, he/him, they/them, ey/em, and ze/zir. As Ari tries on different pronouns, they discover that it's okay to not know your words right away—sometimes you have to wait for your words to find you.
 
Filled with bright, graphic illustrations, this simple and poignant story about finding yourself is the perfect introduction to gender-inclusive pronouns for readers of all ages.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316542067
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	05/25/2021
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	151,916
Product dimensions:	9.90(w) x 9.90(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Katherine Locke's words are they and them! Katherine lives and writes in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with their very demanding cats and overflowing bookshelves. They also wrote Bedtime for Superheroes, and books for older readers including The Girl with the Red Balloon and The Spy with the Red Ballon. They edited and contributed to It's a Whole Spiel: Love, Latkes and Other Jewish Stories and the forthcoming This is Our Rainbow: 16 Stories of Her, Him, Them, Us. They can be found online at KatherineLockeBooks.com.

Anne (Andy) Passchier is a non-binary illustrator from the Netherlands, currently working in the USA. Anne lives with their cats, loves to travel, draw, and enjoys all things spooky and Halloween.

Editorial Reviews

05/03/2021

Two nonbinary creators unite for this picture book about Ari, a narrator who sports an asymmetrical haircut and is excited about a visit from Uncle Lior, a biologist with a dark pompadour who uses they and them pronouns. Aware that pronouns can “change depending on how I feel,” Lior asks, “What are your words, Ari?” whenever they drop by. Locke offers an affirming, changeable look at pronoun usage in accessible prose as Ari searches for the right pronouns to use on the day of the neighborhood’s “big summer bash.” On the way to the barbecue, Lior, Ari, and Ari’s older sister Rachel, all brown-skinned, encounter neighbors of varying abilities and skin tones, whose adjectives and pronouns float above them (“Artistic! Sweet! Kind! Ze/zir”). Passchier adds friendly, geometric-based digital art in a mainly triadic color scheme of goldenrod, light indigo, and seagreen. A capable celebration of the rich range of pronouns. Ages 4–8. (May)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for What Are Your Words?:
ALA Top Ten Rainbow Book 2022
 

"Awesome, insightful, powerful, necessary, relevant and woke.... The variety of adjectives used throughout Ari's journey to find their words will delight Language Arts teachers and can serve as a teaching text."—Cicely Lewis, School Library Journal

"Locke's simple narrative...seamlessly incorporates the appropriate pronouns for each person, demonstrating the ease with which language can change to accommodate pronoun diversity.... A sweet, affirming introduction to the language used to communicate a range of gender identities."—Booklist

"A capable celebration of the rich range of pronouns."—Publishers Weekly

"Through Ari's story, children are gently versed in different identifiers. The ultimate lesson: how to champion yourself."—Entertainment Weekly

"This story offers lots of opportunities for exploring beyond the binary."—Horn Book

"An influential addition to gender literature, this educational feel-good book highlights the marvelous distinctiveness of humanity."—Midwest Book Review

From the Publisher

★ 08/01/2021

PreS-Gr 3—Ari's Uncle Lior comes to visit and the pair walk through town to a neighborhood summer bash. Uncle Lior uses they/them pronouns, and they make a habit of always asking Ari, "What are your words?" Sometimes Ari knows which pronouns feel just right, but on this day it's tricky to decide. On the way to the bash, Ari introduces Uncle Lior to everyone in town using that person's pronouns, which are illustrated over their head, along with a few words describing their personality. Ari's family is light brown-skinned, and their neighbors represent a range of skin tones, abilities, and genders. After the bash, Ari invites the reader to share their own words and pronouns after finally settling on they/them pronouns for the day. Passchier's colorful, geometric digital illustrations match the joyful tone of the text, bringing the whole neighborhood to life. Pronouns from around the world decorate the end papers. VERDICT An affirming, conversational picture book that models the ease with which our language can adapt to gender diversity and pronoun use. A recommended first purchase for all libraries.—Allison Staley, Lake Oswego P.L., OR

School Library Journal