What a great way to use words that have negative connections to people and turn them into something positive. This book makes the reader realize it is okay to use these "negative" words because it is who we are. Everyone is unique and negative words don't define us completely.

The author's note at the end of the book was a great reflection on how this book came to be.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This is an interesting and useful concept that promotes the uniqueness of our strengths and differences.
We have all been called adjectives which do not always fit our personalities, behaviours or the situation or can be something positive depending on the perspective.
The title is a great fit and inside the book, each letter is assigned to a quality that has negative connotations.
All of these are accompanied by empowering illustrations.
The muted and flat illustrations are a nice change since many books have very bright digitalised art these days.

This book does a good job of taking a lot of terms that could be construed as negative traits, like "picky" and "vain," and showing the positive character traits that can underlie them. I appreciate that, with some of the words, the author acknowledges that these qualities can cause problems while still being positive overall. My only complaint would be the fact that the book rhymes a lot, but the meter makes it a clumsy read.

This ABC book takes words that might seem like put-downs and flips the script to show the positive side—like how “bossy” can mean confident, or “timid” can mean thoughtful. At first, I wasn’t sure about it, but once I got the concept, I really liked it. It’s a bit long to read in one sitting, but it works great as a kind of positive-word dictionary. As a girl who was told she was bossy the entire time she was growing up, it’s a great way to help kids see that even “mean” words can have a silver lining.

This book was so cute! I have a four year old and I really feel like she would enjoy this! It has larger words, so it will help her expand her vocabulary! I also think the pictures in the book are wonderful!
Thank you NetGalley and The Collective book studio for the arc of this book!

Alicia McKenzie has followed the trend of us ABC format in a book for older kids. The title sounds like a preschool book. But this book actually explores negative labels and looks at a character trait from a positive point of view. Each page starts with the familiar A is for ... abouttype phrase for ambitious, bossy, clumsy or some other negative trait. The four line poem that follows explains that trait in a positive light. For example, being bossy means you are a natural leader. Unfortunately, the book does not make it the point clear until the afterward. If the author's note had been at the beginning of the book , than the attempt to promote a positive self concept for kids with negative labels would have been more clear. Parents and teachers should read that note aloud first and the share the book with kids. Overall this book would be very useful for any kid and help them see themselves in a better light.

In this ABC book each letter looks at a word that might be considered an insult and then describes the positive attributes that are linked to that word. For example how those labeled bossy are often confident and assertive. How those who are timid are quiet, but take their time. At first this book was a little annoying but once I got what it was trying to do it’s perfect. It’s a little long, but it could also be used more as a dictionary. I do think it’s important for kids know insults may sound bad, but there are ways to see the good side of what they may be called by friends or by family.

A wonderful alphabet book! I love the positive twist put on these typically negative personal attributes. The illustrations were stunning. A great children's book with a great message.

There is so much color and vibrance in this book! But what I love is that it takes words and personality traits that may be negative and turns it into a lesson and something positive. /for any kid - be them neurodivergent or neurotypical - would enjoy this one.

I LOVE! As a preschool teacher, I really appreciate how this book takes words that have a negative association and spins them into a positive light. The illustrations are inspiring and are inclusive of all the faces in my classroom. This is a book I will be adding to our classroom library.

This is a cute ABC book that takes some traits that others may call us in a negative manner and helps to put a positive spin on them. The illustrations in this book were eye catching and the colors were bright. It really seemed to capture the attention of my little one!

Amazing illustrations! My daughter loved finding things on each page and she loved the big letters. Definitely would buy this for her as she is learning the alphabet!!

These ABCs Belong to Me! by Alicia McKenzie and illustrated by Sarah Demonteverde, is a wonderful alphabet book that takes what are widely considered to be negative personal attributes in children and turns them into positives instead.
McKenzie deftly takes various character traits commonly criticized - such as being bossy, nosy, or quiet - and turns them on their heads, illustrating alongside stunningly colourful pictures by Demonteverde how children can turn those traits into positive actions. While some of the instances in this alphabet of turning negative to positive traits are a bit of a stretch, the general idea is an intriguing one. To add to the lessons, the children depicted in the illustrations are from diverse groups as well, always a plus in a picture book.
The book features lessons that many adults could do well to learn, and this book is sure to be a treasured one on the bookshelves of many families when it is released.
I'm happy to have had a chance to read the advance readers' copy of #TheseABCsBelongtoMe courtesy of #NetGalley.

🌈A big thank you to Alicia McKenzie, The Collective Book Studio and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and take a look at These ABCs Belong to Me!, a children’s picture book. I will share my review to Amazon, Goodreads, and Barnes & Noble upon release!

🌈These ABCs Belong to Me! Is a wonderful children’s picture book focused on the ABCs of how others may describe us - and how we can choose to take the positive out of the words, even if they don’t necessarily feel positive. Children can hear a lot of words used to describe them and their behavior without knowing exactly what those words mean, and this book could help kids to break down their thoughts and feelings into a more helpful and positive outlook. I liked the illustrations, the words chosen, and the note at the back of the book that reminds us that we get to write our own stories, and that our self-talk is critical to success. Growing up with ADHD, I often heard a lot of these words about me. Messy, forgetful, chaotic, loud, etc. Those words may not have felt as negative if I knew at the time that those qualities were not always negative. I think this book holds a powerful message that kids of all ages and backgrounds will appreciate. Would definitely recommend to any school or class library, as well as home library!

🌈Perfect for ages 2-6 or so.

Major themes/tropes:

- alphabet
- vocabulary expansion
- diverse characters
- acceptance & belonging
- affirmations & self confidence

5/5 stars!

The idea of transforming stigmatizing labels into superpowers is psychologically sound and could be genuinely life-changing for young readers. Teaching children to reclaim their narrative early could prevent years of shame and self-doubt. This type of positive psychology approach, when done well, plants seeds of resilience that last a lifetime.

This is one of the best children’s emotion books that I have ever read! It takes those descriptions of children that are many times used as a negative and helps kids to understand that they are also positives!

Inspired by a parent's journey and growth with an impetus to help guide youngsters to grow up confident and able to face themselves and any challenges, this alphabet rhymes its way with encouraging words and illustrations.
The illustrations by Sarah DeMonteverde are simple, brightly colorful, imaginative and FUN. Well suited for reading alone or WITH someone of any age, including ESL, and great for gifting to everyone, but especially to a school, waiting room, or your local public library!
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected digital Galley on Thorium PDF from The Collective Book Studio via NetGalley. Pub Date Sep 30, 2025 *****review
#TheseABCsBelongtoMe by Alicia McKenzie and @ilandtuitles @thecollectivebookstudio #NetGalley @ibpalovesindies
#kidlit #kidsbookstagram #kidsbooks #childrensbooks #bookstagram #booksforkids #picturebook @childrensbookcouncil @goodreads #picturebookart #illustration #wordscanempower

These ABCs Belong to Me! by Alicia McKenzie, illustrated by Sarah Demonteverde, is a picture book that uses the alphabet to promote self-identity. For example, letter F focuses on appearance and suggests good grooming habits. However, the book's examples might be difficult for young children to grasp and could send mixed messages. The core message of the book is positive but not clearly explained until the end. This book may be more suitable for an older child who is already dealing with the relevant issues. Each page may need to be explained to avoid confusing the child.
Sarah Demonteverde’s illustrations are vibrant and varied, depicting children from different backgrounds with enthusiasm. The artwork is lively, but some pages may seem crowded for younger readers. This book would be best for ages 5-8, particularly for classroom discussions on self-esteem or parents encouraging positive self-talk. Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced ARC. I would rate this book 3/5.

These ABCs Belong to Me! teaches kids to take back the power of negative words that may be directed towards them. Each word has a little rhyme written about it and an accompanying illustration. The illustrations really capture the meaning or feeling of each word. The author, Alicia McKenzie, is a mother of 5 and she was inspired to write the book by her children's various personality traits. I think this will be great for elementary school children who are trying to learn about their feelings.
I was provided with a free copy of this book by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I really liked the idea of this book and I think the author's word choices were great! I've never read another ABC book quite like this one, and I deeply appreciated this book's uniqueness.
However, I do still have two critiques to make.
1. The title doesn't exactly match the book. I can definitely see where the author was going with this, but it is a bit misleading. It comes off as an angry child yelling about which toys are theirs, if that makes sense.
2. I felt like the cohesion of this book was a bit spotty. Various ideas connected at one point in the book, but then that kind of went out the window a few pages later. I believe that what would be beneficial here is making the central theme of the book blatantly clear. This is a book intended for a younger audience, and it's important to make sure that everything makes sense and that the points get across.

Other than those two things, though, I enjoyed reading this book and, with a few small edits, I think a lot of other readers will as well.