They, She, He easy as ABC

Summary of Book

Inclusive pronouns are learned alongside the alphabet in this joyously illustrated take on the classic ABC book.

They, She, He easy as ABC shows that including everyone is all part of the dance. It’s easy. It’s fundamental. As the dance begins the kids proclaim, “No one left out and everyone free,” in a sing-song rhyme about inclusion. This sets the stage for readers to meet 26 kids showing us their dance moves.

“Ari loves to arabesque. They hold their pose with ease.
Brody is a break dancer. Brody loves to freeze.”

Fast-paced rhyming keeps the flow of text upbeat and rhythmic, and naturally models how to use a wide range of pronouns. There’s no room for stereotypes on THIS dance floor with spirited imagery that keeps names, clothes, hair and behavior fresh and diverse. The combination creates a playful and effortless practice to expand ideas about gender while learning the alphabet and makes being inclusive as easy as A-B-C.

This book continues the work started in They She He Me: Free to Be!, also by Maya & Matthew, and what School Library Journal called “a gorgeous and much-needed picture book about pronouns and gender fluidity.” Both books provide a way to build on gender inclusive practices, and help interrupt the formalization of gender stereotypes and assumptions.

Author / Illustrator Biographies

Maya Gonzalez is a Chicanx, queer femme artist, progressive educator and award-winning children’s book illustrator and author. Her work addresses systemic inequity in relation to race/ethnicity, sexism and cissexism using children’s books as radical agents of change and healing, both personally and culturally. She is also the creator of the Gender Wheel, a tool to express the dynamic, infinite and inclusive reality of gender, and provides lectures and workshops to educators, parents and caregivers. More about Maya at www.mayagonzalez.com

Matthew SG is a videographer, webmaster, designer, accountant, manager, builder, architect, editor, co-founder, publisher, and just about anything else needed to keep the Press running. Matthew came from Philly to San Francisco to intern with COLAGE, a non-profit organization for children with one or more LGBT parents. Growing up with a gay father, isolated in the midst of homophobia, taught Matthew the importance of working to include everyone and inspired his activist spirit to take root. Later, he transitioned from project manager for a large architectural firm in SF, to the structural and management strength of Reflection Press. Everything he has learned about being an independent publisher he has taught himself through tons of research and lots and lots of fast learning! And he loves to climb trees, be silly and have a lot fun while raising the next generation of world changers with his best friend and partner, Maya!