Description

A child who looks different from her mother finds beauty and belonging in this new book from the creator of New York Times bestseller I Sang You Down from the Stars
Izzy s favorite place to be is in Mama s arms–skin to skin, safe and warm. One night, cuddled up on Mama s lap, Izzy notices something she s never noticed before: her skin is the color of chocolate, but Mama s skin is the color of sand.
When Izzy realizes she s different from Mama in other ways, too, she feels sad and confused. She wants to be beautiful like Mama! But Mama addresses Izzy s disappointment with a gentle, loving refrain: You re part of me, and I m part of you. I m beautiful like me, and you re beautiful like you. Finding lessons from nature and repeating her affirming message, Mama encourages Izzy to see her own unique beauty.
This story about a multiracial child navigating identity and belonging draws from author Tasha Spillett s own experience growing up as an Afro-Indigenous girl. Lyrical text and warm, lively illustrations show Izzy s journey as she learns to celebrate the differences that make her uniquely beautiful, and the connection to her mother that transcends physical traits.