Name: When Aidan Became a Brother
ISBN: 9781620148372

Kyle Lukoff

"Aidan, a transgender boy, experiences complicated emotions as he and his parents prepare for the arrival of a new baby"--

When Aidan Became a Brother

renee badenoch

I love this book! Unlike a lot of trans books for children, this is an #ownvoices book, and eschews a lot of the harmful stereotypes you see perpetuated in other trans picture books. 

Take this passage, for example, 

"Everyone thought he was just a just a different kind of girl. Some girls had room full of science experiments and bug collections. Lots of girls didn't wear dresses. But Aiden didn't feel like any kind of girl. He was really another kind of boy." 

Picture books books by non-trans authors often reduce gender to a set of outside gender expectations that a kid doesn't want to conform to, thereby making them a different gender. In Jack not Jackie (written by a cis white woman), for example, one of the reasons Jack is "not a girl" is that he likes to play with bugs. When Aiden Became a Brother is a more nuanced portrait, showing that while outside gender norms play a role in identity, defying or playing with those norms is not what makes a person trans. 

Another passage I like, "It was hard to tell his parents what he knew about himself, but it was even harder not to. It took everyone some time to adjust, and they learned a lot from the other families with transgender kids like him." 

A recognition that transition, even with supporting and loving family is still that--a transition that takes time, work, and community. I love Julian is a Mermaid (again written by a cis, white woman), but I also understand that there is a reductive narrative in its depiction of immediate and unconditional acceptance that can be painful for a person who has experienced rejection or even just a period of confusion and resistance during their transition. For a much more detailed essay on this, I recommend checking out Dr. Laura Jiménez's article, Trans People Aren't Mythical Creatures. I can't find the link to the full article, but excerpts from it can be found on De Colores: The Raza Experience in Books for Children blog here

The story of When Aiden Became a Brother is charming and sweet, about some of Aiden's anxieties about his future sibling and the ways he worries they, too might be reduced by their gender. This aspect of the book is dealt with with style and humor, as when a woman asks his mother, "Are you having a boy or a girl," and she replies with, "I'm having a baby." Later someone asks Aiden, "Are you excited for your new brother or sister," to which Aiden says, "I'm excited to be a big brother." 

Illustrator Kaylani Juanita's drawings are perfect! Soft, loose, and squiggly and colorful, they fill the book with a humor and tenderness that perfectly match the text. We love to see a black illustrator depicting black joy. Five Stars

This was honestly one of the sweetest books I have ever read. Aidan is a trans boy who recently came out to his parents and is finally able to decorate the room the way he wants and dress in clothes that he feels comfortable in. Then his parents tell him that he's going to be a big brother. Aidan is super excited and wants to make sure that the baby is comfortable from day one in a way that Aidan himself was not. He helps his parents buy baby clothes, decorate the baby's room, and pick a name "that could fit this new person no matter who they grew up to be." But still, he's worried that he's going to do something wrong, or that his choices won't be choices that the baby would have made. His mother reminds him that people make mistakes - like when they thought Aidan was a girl - but that mistakes can be corrected and loving someone no matter what choices they make can help make up for a lot of mistakes. 

Everything about this book was perfect. Aidan is such an open, loving character who wants to live his own truth and wants to make sure that his sibling can do the same. His parents are understanding and willing to make whatever changes necessary to make Aidan more comfortable. I loved that Aidan's parents made a point of meeting up with other parents of trans kids, so that they and Aidan had a community to rely on and get help from if necessary. I loved how willing they were to listen to Aidan's concerns about getting ready for the new baby and the way they adjusted their language to be more gender neutral. I loved that Aidan recognized that his parents kind of regretted that the name they had chosen for their child didn't fit who he was, so he wanted to help pick a name that anyone could have, regardless of gender. I just loved the story completely.

And the artwork! It's so bright and colorful. Aidan honestly has the best outfits throughout the book. He's always rocking a bold print or two. There's something fun hidden away in pretty much every drawing. 

Both the author and illustrator are #ownvoices for the story. Lukoff is a trans man and Juanita is a black woman, so between the two of them, this story felt so authentic and true. Both of them obviously put a lot of love into creating Aidan and his family and it absolutely shows. 

This book should absolutely be in every library. I'd particularly recommend it for kids who are interested in gender and gender expression and kids who are about to become siblings.

Caroline Lewicki

YES OWN VOICES! This is a wonderful book about a little boy who is born a girl and doesn't feel right in his own skin. His family is warm and supportive and willing to learn to help him be himself. The author is also transgender and his author's note details how important this story is for kids who may be going through the same transitions as Aidan. I loved this book!

When Aidan Became a Brother

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