Here’s another one of my very sporadic book reviews. I generally only review books that REALLY catch my eye – books where I know there’s some element that my kids will get excited about. This one in particular is for my oldest kid – the adult kid who teaches preschool to a diverse class of 3-year-olds. Kayley reads to her class every day, and they have regular favorites they read again and again. What I love is how she will pause in her reading to discuss some of the themes in the stories they read. I’m always amazed at how thoughtful and contemplative her young students are, even at their tender age. We text each other all the time, and the stories she shares with me brighten all of my days. Her students will often remark about how characters in books make them feel, and how they relate to their own lives. I am passing along The Secret Life of Lilykins in hopes that it will become a new classroom favorite.
Lilykins spends most of her time as a typical house cat, living with her brother Charlie and their two dads, Max and Patrick. She embarks on secret adventures through her imagination, where she ends up saving the world. The book is beautifully illustrated and written in rhyming verse – perfect for reading aloud to small ones! I love that the story celebrates imagination, creativity, and environmental awareness, while subtly featuring same-sex parents. It’s so important for kids to feel represented in books, shows, and movies. I love it when I come across something that shows diversity in a way where it is not the main focus, but just portrayed as a typical, ordinary thing.
My littles are way too old for this book, but we still loved reading it! I can’t wait to pass it along to Ms. Kayley to share with her little class! If you’d like to pick up a copy for your own kiddos or to donate to a classroom or library, you can find The Secret Life of Lilykins at Barnes & Noble, CreateSpace, and Amazon.
Special thanks to Smith Publicity for providing this book to me for review and to share with my daughter’s classroom! This post contains affiliate links.
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