Lauren Simkin Berke

Were I Not A Girl: The Inspiring and True Story of Dr. James Barry is a breath of fresh air. This book tells the tale of a man who was born in the wrong body and time period. When women were treated as second class citizens, so he took a new name and look to get an education and change his life. This book shows the plight of not only women, but the poor and trans people. That life is only fair and exciting for a certain few, no matter how talented a person can be. Also the illustrations are show more interesting, they have a crayon like aesthetic but it is not sloppy. Overall this book was very well done, and shines a light on an interesting person and their tragic life. show less

Achildren’s biography of a complex figure.

The much-interpreted facts, not to mention meaning, of Dr. James Barry’s life are squarely presented in this quiet picture book. After opening with “Imagine living at a time when you couldn’t be the person you felt you were inside,” the story provides some scant information about Dr. Barry’s early life: his female-assigned birth and feminine name in 18th-century Ireland, the restrictive roles for women in that time and place, and show more Barry’s decision to pass as a man in order to enroll in medical school. At this point the story shifts from she/her pronouns to he/him, as the story dutifully but calmly follows Barry on his travels as a military doctor. The illustrations are subdued and old-fashioned, with background scenes often depicted in smudged black and gray scribbles and the White protagonist surrounded by an almost all-White cast. An early question asks, “Why did Margaret become James? She never said. Nor did he.” Despite the interesting character at its center, this story comes across as somewhat dull, the subject matter proving much more lively than the telling. It ends with the claim that “James was living his truth” without making clear what truth, precisely, Barry was living. An author’s note tries to clarify a position that isn’t as clear in the text, with final notes fleshing out Barry’s biography and discussing gender-neutral pronouns and nonbinary identities. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at 19.1% of actual size.)

Both timely and historical. (Picture book/biography. 6-10)

-Kirkus Review show less

⭐ Craft & How-To | Educational | Creative

Thank you to Chronicle Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Zine Making and Bookbinding is a practical and visual guide that walks readers through the basics of tools, terminology, and various binding methods. If you have any background in graphic design or book arts, much of the foundational information will feel familiar.

The book features hand-drawn illustrations of supplies and step-by-step techniques. Despite being text-dense in show more places, the typography varies nicely, making the material easier to navigate and preventing it from feeling overwhelming. Most of the instructional images are hand-drawn, with some rendered in white on a teal background and others illustrated with simple black outlines on teal background. There is a consistent color pallete used throughout the book.

. show less