This book's concept was very interesting and I was super excited to read this because of how intersectional and inclusive it is. While reading this, I had to keep in mind that it was intended for a very young audience. While I didn't dislike it, I didn't love it. I felt like the text was a little disjointed and could be smoother. It was an okay book and the illustrations were lovely, but it didn't knock my socks off.

*Book received through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Great read! Thuy has been teased again and she feels out of place. She walks home frustrated, but once home her wise mamas see that their little girl needs their help to see how strong and powerful they are all together. Bao Phi has humor sprinkled in at just the right moments that will make children giggle with delight and it helps to lighten some of the heaviness of Thuy's problem. This book lends itself to discussions of family, standing up for yourself assertively, and the power of imagination. My first grade students wanted to learn more about the mythical creatures in My Footprints and make up their own just like Thuy.

I really just thought this book was okay. The illustration was amazing. I think that 5 and 6 year olds would be a little too young to understand the full meaning. I know two children with two moms and I plan to read it to them to see what they think.

I appreciated the opportunity to read this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have to admit I felt a little torn about how to review this book. On one hand, I felt a little lost in the message? I found myself thinking "this might be an interesting book to read for a science story time about animal tracking?" rather than understanding the metaphor of the footprints?

I think overall it was cute with a lot of potential but it fell a little bit short for me when it came to the storytelling.

The artwork however, in my opinion, was very well done and a style I really enjoyed.

This is a special and beautiful book! The messages about bullying, identity and acceptance are subtle yet powerful, The poetic, lyrical text fits perfectly with the gorgeous illustrations. This should be on shelves in every school and library. It is amazing to see an Asian child as the main character of such an important book. MY FOOTPRINTS will undoubtedly be an instant classic and award winner!

*thank you to Netgalley and Capstone for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

3 stars.

This was a good, cute story. I really liked the illustrations, particularly the colours chosen. The story is unfortunately one that many children can identify with in some way. Either through bullying or having a family with same gender parents. I really felt the love from the mum's. It was touching and just shows just how big of an effect kindness can have on somebody.

This book was gorgeous. Gorgeously illustrated, gorgeously written. I loved the attention to detail--one noticeable thing was how gorgeous the branches were drawn in the trees. I also appreciated the author's note and the background Bao Phi gave on why he created the book and why it was important for him to share it. I was so impressed by it and cannot wait for it to come out so that I can purchase it for myself and also the little ones in my life. Thank you for the opportunity to read it in advance. It was wonderful.

Beautiful illustrations and great overall message, but I found the wording to be choppy and the storyline to be overly moralistic.

My Footprints is a must-read for all middle-school students, not simply because of the beautiful art, but the message: empathy builds compassion and universal acceptance. This story explores all the issues that plague today’s society: bullying, fear of being different, homophobia, etc. and shows how a child feels when bullied. Oh, I love this. I will definitely get the middle school librarian to order this book. Kids need to learn empathy to be kind and understanding. This book will illustrate what happens when they lack these basic human skills.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this eARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

My Footprints is a beautiful picture book that grapples with issues of bullying and discrimination in a gentle, moving way and calls not for mere tolerance but for the celebration of all forms of diversity.

Thuy is a young girl being bullied at school for being Vietnamese-American, for having two moms, and for being a girl. As she walks home from school in the snow, she imagines herself leaving behind the footprints of various animals who could escape the taunts of her bullies in different ways. When she gets home, her moms help her learn that love and community can give her the courage she needs to move forward with strength and hope.

Bao Phi's writing is lyrical and arresting. It never feels too advanced for its target audience, though, which is astonishing given how beautifully poetic and sophisticated his words are. Basia Tran's illustrations are playful and empathetic. She is as skilled at depicting a lush phoenix or an adorable dragon as she is at capturing every nuance of Thuy and her moms' emotions as they talk about the bullying Thuy is facing.

This book would be excellent for school or library storytimes (the author has a wonderful note at the end of the story, including a pronunciation guide for the characters' names) and for bedtime stories at home. My Footprints is a gentle, poetic ode to love, imagination, and acceptance. This beautiful picture book carries a message that all kids (and adults) need to hear.

Oh my goodness, this is my favorite book of 2019! The imagery depicted by both words and illustrations is just breathtaking. A gentle, yet powerful story about a child's desire to just want to be accepted. This story addresses same sex marriage, cultures, bullying and acceptance in a very heartfelt and powerful way.

Thuy is bullied at school, and as she walks home, she imagines herself as each of the animals she passes - and makes her footprints mimic theirs in the snow in a delightful imaginative play. When she gets home, we discover that she has two moms (yay!) and that with her mixed race makes her a target for the bullies. But she wants to discover what the strongest animal is so she can embody those characteristics to remain strong against her enemies, and her moms show her that they are strongest together as a team, so she makes up the perfect imaginary creature that embodies them all. I loved the imagination, the simplicity of a young girl trying to work her way through a tough situation, and I loved the illustrations - dark in all the right places, and bright and colorful in others. I just wish the name pronunciation guide was at the beginning - I mispronounced them throughout and then felt awful :-(

This is such a beautiful book and a great way to begin a discussion about LGBTQ issues with young children. The pictures are gorgeous and the words are so powerful.

I really liked this book. The main character is being bullied at school. In the snow, she notices her footprints and wonders what would happen if she became something different. The story is a beautiful one and the illustrations are fabulous. I really liked the author’s note and the part after the story when each of the different animals are described.

*Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review"

My Footprints by Bao Phi is a beautifully written children's book about finding ones strength as well as being proud and comfortable with our identity. I enjoyed it immensely, and highly recommend it. It is a wonderful book about diversity.

The cover illustration caught my eye so I was excited to open it up and look inside. The illustrations were beautiful. This title would be an excellent discussion starter for kids on so many different topics.

Thank you for the chance to review the book. I look forward to sharing this one with my kids.

I was really touched when reading this book. I plan to bring it home and read it to my children. I especially liked the description about the different shades of pretty. So many learning lessons within one book. It touches upon bullying, same sex parents, and being a minority; both by gender and ethnicity. Please take your time to enjoy the artwork as well. Truly beautiful.

I honestly loved this book so much! I plan on getting this for my niece. This book tackles many different discrimination issues. It is done so well for a children's book. I think this is a great way to start a conversation with children about issues of bullying and feeling alone. I also really loved the illustrations.

I loved the imagery and illustrations in this book!
The importance of using your imagination to work through emotions and tough situations is a great lesson for young children.
Also loved the healthy, beautiful, same-sex parents, woo!
Would be a great addition to any library collection.

I just read this little story to my daughters and they both loved it.
The older one said she loved all the creatures, and the younger one loved that Thuy was playing in the snow, and asked to gear up and go outside to play.

The illustration is absolutely adorable and it makes the story very engaging, as my girls curled up next to me trying to see better all the drawings.

I would recommend this book for any parent, aunt/uncle, grandma/grandpa that wants to gift this little book and teach their little ones about acceptance of diversity, and also how important is to brush it off when you're not feeling well because of being bullied.

Disclaimer: I received an Advance Review Digital Copy of this book before its publication. This review is uncompensated.