IN THE MIRROR by Fabian E. Ferguson is a book about children appreciating themselves, feeling good about their looks, their talents, and their futures. The illustrations (by  Alisa Aryutova) are bright and vivid, with flowing backgrounds that draw the reader’s eyes towards the images of the children’s thoughts and dreams, visually encouraging the young reader to share in them. The two children (a girl and a boy) are given personality and charm through their lively facial expressions and movements. The pictures and the words showcase their intelligent and creative minds, as well as their active, healthy bodies, and show off the natural joy they feel in learning, moving, creating, and doing.

Background colors, clothing colors, symbols, and activities are not particularly gender-coded – both are given access to the full range. The girl is most often shown with a dark blue and/or purple background, and the boy with blue and green, but each of them has moments with a full spectrum behind them, suggesting individual preferences and differences for each, but also limitless possibilities for both. Each of them also takes part in both creative and physical activities across the spectrum, from art and science to tennis and skating, and both have moments of pretending to be superheroes (she wears a crown and a cape, and there’s a sweet Black Panther tribute near the end, with the boy wearing a cat’s ears and tail and doing the Wakandan salute). The most striking image has them side by side, surrounded with symbols for justice, fairness, peace, and love, backed by a rainbow which embraces them both.

The language of the book is clear and simple, readily understandable by its target audience of young readers. The rhyming couplets that make up the book are cute and useful for capturing young readers’ attention, especially when the book is read aloud, as children’s books often are. The rhythm and meter could be a bit smoother than they are, but by and large are reasonably successful. The message of the book is positive and upbeat, encouraging confidence, effort, and exploration. Weaknesses, failures, and bumps in the road are acknowledged but not allowed to dominate – they are presented as something that everyone faces and that helps to make us all stronger and better in the long run. The book encourages a healthy sense of self-esteem, focused on working towards achievements and building capability and strength, emphasizing individual growth rather than a need to compete with or put others down.

IN THE MIRROR is a cheerful, upbeat book with bright, joyful illustrations, a positive message and two delightful child protagonists with whom child readers can readily and easily identify.

~Catherine Langrehr for IndieReader