I’m always on the look out for bold and beautiful books which encourage children to celebrate being themselves. I use them a lot with the children I work with to help boost confidence and build self-esteem. It looks as though ‘The Rainbow Flamingo’ is one that I need to add to my collection!

“This one young flamingo, Adele was her name,  
Knew under HER wings something wasn’t the same.  
Whilst quite unremarkably pink from outside … 
Inside were some colours she struggled to hide! 

Adele wants nothing more than to be just like all the other flamingos. But hiding who she really is feels horribly tough. Can Adele find the courage to celebrate her true colours?”

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Five of My Favourite Picture Books About Being Different

Be More Bernard by Simon Philip and Kate Hindley is one of my favourite picture books – I love the deadpan humour. It’s all about having the courage to be yourself and ‘hopping when the others bounce’. Bernard starts to feel that he might be different to the other rabbits and starts to act a little differently. When Bernard finally finds the courage to be himself, he discovers that some of the other rabbits aren’t quite what they seem either! This book is so fun and has gorgeous illustrations.

The Hueys in the New Jumper by Oliver Jeffers has a light ironic humour which works so well, as he explores how the Hueys react to someone being different. Even though it’s a picture book, it encapsulates a lovely critique of society and what it means to be different. I love its simplicity and slightly wry message.

Perfectly Norman by Tom Percival really does encapsulate that shyness that’s also at the heart of The Rainbow Flamingo, that worry that everyone will see the part of you that you’re most shy about – in this case Norman’s colourful wings. It’s a lovely book about the difficulties that can come about when you try to hide who you really are.

Julian is a Mermaid by Jessica Love is such a gentle, warm picture book about a little boy who wants to look like a mermaid and join the carnival happening nearby. It takes you back to that joyous stage of being little and just wanting to dress up before anyone starts to ask questions or query whether children should be allowed to do that. I love the relationship with the Nanna, as the warmth of their relationship just fills the pages. Gorgeous.

The Same but Different Too by Karl Newson and Kate Hindley is such a simple and lovely book about accepting differences. I love the way the differences are just stated in a matter-of-fact way, which means that everyone is accepted, despite some being tall and others small. It has a great message which helps show that, different or the same, we can all muck along together quite happily.

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Some absolutely fantastic recommendations about from author, Catherine Emmett. I use several of them myself already but am constantly seeking new additions to my bookshelf!

The Rainbow Flamingo is a joyous reminder to celebrate all that you are, regardless of of how difficult that may seem.

Jo.

*Many thanks to Simon and Schuster for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour*