Written by MzVee, Illustrated by Lisbeth Checo
This is a picture book exuding body positivity and joy! The author is Ghanaian singer MzVee, who wrote a song called “Natural Girl,” from which this book is adapted. In both the words and beautiful illustrations the book encourages girls to embrace who they are, love their natural selves, and be confident inside and out. The author recognizes that beauty comes from within – “I act with kindness and with love, and this is what I’m most proud of. Like a true queen, I wear my crown and spread my greatness all around.”
The message is universal, though all of the girls in the book present as black, with varying shades of skin color and hair texture. This would be a great book for collections about self-empowerment, love, and diversity. The cover is beautiful and I can see a lot of my female students picking this up.Reviewed by Andrea LeBaron, Librarian, Upland Terrace Elementary
Review shared in January 2024
Rating: ★★★★✩ (4 stars)
Interest Level: Grades K-6
Natural Me
Written by MzVee, Illustrated by Lisbeth Checo
HarperCollins
40 pages
Release Date: January 23, 2024
ISBN: 9780358695219
A review copy was provided by the publisher.
