The beautiful story My Rainbow written by Trinity & DeShanna Neal and illustrated by Art Twink, is based on the real life experience of a mother who created the perfect rainbow colored wig for her transgender daughter. Not only is this a such a valuable book to read for #pridemonth it is something that should be read throughout the year. This literacy experience emphasizes the importance of listening, honoring, and loving people for who they are.
To extend the literacy experience setting an invitation to have a child make their own rainbow hair is a great way to integrate the story through the arts. You will need a cardboard cutout, coffee filters, liquid water colors, and droppers. Simply invite the child to recreate a rainbow wig just like the characters in the book with all the beautiful colors.
Helping children understand at a young age to treat others with respect and kindness can only be done so by exposure and providing opportunities to see differences. Reading stories such as My Rainbow, guiding them by being an a example of acceptance, and having conversations enriches their understanding of a boy wanting to dress up as a girl or the other way around will lay a foundation early on. Answer their questions, ask them questions, build their understanding, and establish respect about all these different dynamics. This will let a child always keep an open mind and have a stronger social emotional connection for others through accepting everyone as they are. Stories such as these are need to be in the home and classroom to uphold inclusivity for all.
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