By Katherine Locke
A gentle, colorful picture book about a child who uses different pronouns on different days, and the neighbors who each share the words that fit them.
Every time Ari's Uncle Lior visits, Lior asks the same question: what are your words today? Some days Ari's words are she and her, other days he and him. But on the day of the neighborhood's big summer party, Ari can't find the right words at all, and that feels bad. So Ari and Lior head to the party the long way, meeting neighbors along the block who each share the words they use for themselves, until Ari feels ready to know their own.
It teaches a real idea, that the words we use for ourselves can be chosen and can shift, without ever feeling like a lesson. The story is small and sweet: a child a little unsure of themselves, a favorite uncle who's patient, a walk around the block. Anne Passchier's illustrations are big and bright and easy to sink into. If you're looking for a calm, friendly way to introduce pronouns to a young child, this one does it with a light touch.