A really wonderful primer on transgender history, kids and adults of all ages have something to learn from this book and will either see themselves in its pages or appreciate the vast history of trans people.

This is genuinely one of the best children's books I've read about transgender and nonbinary people. There's beautiful illustrations throughout, and the words describe the many incredible historical figures in our rich history. The language is careful and ensures to leave room for nuance, smartly noting that modern interpretations of social constructs like gender and sexuality might not have been the same for these individuals - and the book does this in a way that's really easy for children to understand. This was a powerful read, and each of the 38 pages made me want to learn more about the people mentioned.

This copy was provided to me by NetGalley.

My History, My Gender, Me is a powerful and eye-opening read that brings long-overdue attention to historical figures who didn’t fit into traditional ideas about gender—people who lived boldly and authentically long before our modern conversations even began. The author does a wonderful job of lifting up voices that’ve often been erased or ignored, reminding us that gender fluidity and independence aren’t new—they’ve always been part of the human story. In addition to great stories here, the illustrations in this book are beautiful.

A heartfelt thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advance copy!

Offensive, outdated language.
First things first, it’s not appropriate in a published book to say trans people are born as men or born as women. No human being is born as a man or a woman. Gender identity develops around age 3 and babies aren’t men or women.
Next, saying identify as to describe trans people others than and paints the picture that their gender is less authentic than cis people’s genders. You do not say cis people “identify as women” you say they’re just women. The same should apply to trans people.

I like the art and the fact you acknowledged that a lot of truth and history was lost or misrepresented due to colonization

I firmly believe in LGBTQ+ books being accessible and written for children. This book attempted that, but fell short. There are phrases in this book I think would require too much explaining to a child whom a picture book would be written for (for example, "identifies as" is used, where child-friendly would be "is" or "is actually"). Furthermore, there is problematic language in this book that the trans community has firmly spoken out on. I will not include quotes due to NetGalley policy, but I do hope that this gets fixed prior to publication.

That being said, I think the goal of this book is admirable. I appreciate the author proving trans people have always existed, and trying to tell children they are allowed to be who they are.

I'd recommend this book to a parent willing to do a little extra explaining for their child. I personally plan on looking for this book again when published to see if the problematic aspect has been fixed.

My History, My Gender, Me is a must-read children’s book, sharing stories of the revolutionary people who defied gendered expectations throughout history. This book is inclusive of transgender, non-binary, and intersex folks who are often overlooked in our history books. A book like this is important to let the future generations know that not only are they not alone, but that history was made by people just like them, from all over the world. The illustrations are beautiful, and the storytelling is rich. This book is a great way to teach love, acceptance, and hope for a better future.

This book succinctly introduces the reader to historical figures who in various ways lived their lives outside of the gender-binary. The historical figures are of different time periods, cultures and skin colour, as well as expressing their gender in different ways, which makes the book show very clearly how variable gender can be. There are also discussion questions as well as a glossary at the end of the book.

I think that this book is a really good way to introduce children to transness as a concept, as well as helping children understand that labels are not set in stone, but can vary between cultures. It manages to say a lot in a limited amount of words, and the illustrations do a lot to humanise each person discussed while still celebrating them for who they were. The discussion questions at the end were very useful and felt well thought through, and I think would further help children understand and emphasize with trans people.

I received a free digital copy of this book for reviewing from Jessica Kingsley Publishers via Netgalley, which I am very thankful for. However, my review is based on my honest opinions.

This was a very informative and nicely illustrated read. It gives clear examples of people throughout history who identified as trans or without a gender at all. The book uses clear and simple language to educate children about the real history of people of the lgbt community who did not identify themselves in line with their original sex.

I loved it. I enjoyed the questions and activities and I thought that it is a great tool to inspire compassion and give children a historical context to understand people who may be different from they are.

This is actually pretty cool. I always think I know more than I think I do and then a book comes out and shows me otherwise 😂. Over a 1,000 years that non-binary, intersex, and transgender people have been respected, honored, and praised. I’m blown away by the different voices Cassandra Jules Corrigan puts on the page. We are everywhere and always have been.

The drawings are cartoonish. I’m actually not a big fan of the art so I don’t know how it will appeal to children’s eye.

I will say the history is impressive. I’m actually going to shoot a vid just about Saint Marinos because at this time in the U.S….it’s just crazy where we are. I have to say my favorite one is the first one, Suontaka Person, because “Hello! Buried with a sword!” There are so many to be admired and applauded in My History, My Gender, Me and I am so glad I schooled today.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
“This is only a tiny portion of how diverse and vast our experiences can be.
But the best thing about history is that it never stops.”

A cute educational read of non-binary, transgender, and intersex people from the past. While I wish there was more information on each person, it is a great beginning read for kids. Knowledge is power and this book reminds us just how long non-binary, transgender, and intersex people have been part of our society!

I expected to like this book, but I did not expect for it to become one of my all-time favorite children’s books. I do not have enough words to express how amazing this book is.
This book introduces people from history that covers all time ranges and multiple religions. The illustrations are phenomenal and help the words jump off the page. Full of wonderful facts and amazing individuals across a wide spectrum of identities. Showcases many esteemed religious figures (including christian); giving great examples and proof of how gender identity hasn’t always, and doesn’t need to be, at odds with religion, or Christianity specifically.
The vocabulary is slightly more advanced, so this book will either need discussions of definitions to make sure children understand, or aim for a more 5-6 year age range. There is a wonderful glossary at the end of the book that can help with this.

Thoughts:
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is a great book, I had no idea just how far back and how famous (or infamous) some transgender people went. I knew about Marsha but the rest were new to me and it’s great learning more. The illustrations were awesome and complimented the book well. Hopefully books like as this help to further educate people and reduce the ridiculous amount of hate transgender people receive.

Favourite Quote:
“This is only a tiny portion of how diverse and vast our experiences can be.
But the best thing about history is that it never stops.”

A wonderful children's book about the history of different gender identities. These mini histories are accompanied by vibrant illustrations.

An interesting book that the children enjoyed reading and discussing. They appreciated the illustrations accompanying the life stories but were not as keen on the cover picture.

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley. I wish I had known about this book even sooner it was a great eye opener and I can't wait to get it in print.

I absolutely LOVE that we are having more age appropriate texts discussing identity of self and others for children that make these conversations easier!
I only wish there was a few pages discussing how someone may decide to think about their pronouns/identity since we open with a “how do you identify” question and then meet several historic trans people, but we don’t discuss their journey to that identity or what it means.
Thank you for allowing me to ARC read this!

My History, My Gender, Me is a children’s book that should be found in every school or public library especially in the kind of exclusionary climate LGBQIA people are being forced to exist in.

With beautiful illustrations by Moe Butterfly, Cassandra Jules Corrigan introduces the reader to a historical figure who lived their life as a gender-nonconforming individual. I love how the illustrations help bring these people to life and by showing anyone who reads the book that the concepts of transgender, non-binary, two-spirit and the many other often time or place-specific terminology for people like myself, have always been here.

The brief information that the author provides will be small enough for younger readers to take onboard, and can easily act as an introduction to anyone who wishes to learn more about a specific person or their gender identity on a broader scale.

I hope with books like this being written and published that there can be acceptance and prevent hate for a minority group of the world’s population from spreading.

Hate after all is learned in the same manner as information.

This book is wonderful! I am in my late twenties but learnt so much!! I wish I had known these facts about people in history who didn't follow the binary ! It's a great example of trans people existing long before anyone may think. A really uplifting novel, this felt like a reminder of the community the trans community has been, living the same experience over decades in many different environments and lifestyles. No, trans people do not exist because of the "woke" people, they have ALWAYS existed!! Really liked the artwork too, the colours were very engaging.

'My History, My Gender, and Me' is lavishly adorned with warm coloured illustrations which truly open this book up for those of all ages.
The inclusion of many different cultures, eras, and examples of how gender identity and transgender individuals exist and impacted the community shows the Authors' dedication to equality and acceptance, which really shines through. In the descriptions, and the discussions of gender diverse individuals' integral parts within history, the author makes the read aware of pronouns usage and important contextual clues regarding gender presentation through the ages. This allows for a wider discussion to open up regarding identity, society, social and cultural norms amongst family and peers.

All in all, I find this truly embodies the meaning of Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion in every sense of the word. A perfect addition to any collection.

In My History, My Gender, Me, Cassandra Jules Corrigan begins with the question “are you a boy or a girl?” before recognizing that this may not be a simple question for some readers. This introduction also provides simple, helpful definitions of transgender and non-binary. Throughout the book, Corrigan writes in a first person perspective for ten historical figures who are considered transgender, non-binary, or intersex. They span a variety of time periods and are mostly lesser known, which provides a refreshing contrast to books about gender focused solely on western or well-known LGBTQ+ figures. Additionally, the people are from a variety of cultures and places such as Haiti and Lebanon. Illustrator Moe Butterfly provides colorful illustrations for each of the ten historical figures. Corrigan provides an author’s note, discussion questions, and glossary at the end of the book. The discussion questions are appropriate for children, teens, and even adults.

Personal note: As a trans non-binary person, I only knew one of these ten historical figures (Marsha P. Johnson)! Corrigan clearly set out to educate about lesser known trans, non-binary, and intersex individuals. For example, I did not know about the Suontaka of Finland descibed at the beginning of the book. I appreciate that the Suontaka person states “we have existed for thousands of years” in a time when trans people like myself are seen as following a new trend.

Age recommendation: Upper elementary and beyond. While this book could work for younger children, I would suggest the board book Being You: a First Conversation About Gender by By Megan Madison and Jessica Ralli, as it asks kids questions directly and consistently throughout the book. My History, My Gender, Me is ideal for youth who already have a basic understanding of gender and want to learn more about the history of trans, non-binary, and intersex people.