Introducing Teddy: A gentle story about gender and friendship

The book makes it seem like it's so easy to transition. The two children in the book are immediately accepting, and that's unrealistic. The book paints a too rosy picture of being trans. I'm trans and I'm a children's librarian and I'm constantly made fun of by the children I work with. The kids would be absolutely merciless if I were their classmate.

Trans children need to know that this is NOT how life will really be. This book also says nothing about family reaction (my family was not at all happy about my transition). I just don't think we should be lying to our children like this.

This is a delightful book about a boy, Errol, and his friend, a Teddy bear named Thomas. They play together every day and one day Errol notices Thomas is sad. Thomas says that he really is a girl teddy and would like to be called Tilly. Errol says "What matters is that you are my friend", and they continue playing. A perfect age-appropriate conversation about gender transition, with beautiful illustrations. I've been waiting for this to be published in the U.S. and it was worth the wait.

Thomas the Teddy is sad, even on the playground. Their friend Erol wants to know why. Teddy explains that teddy isn't really a boy, and wants to be called Tilly instead. Erol says he doesn't mind, he thinks Tilly is a nice friend. Their friend Ava joins, and she also likes Tilly name. The three of them and a robot all come together for a tea party.
What I really liked about this book was how the fact Teddy is trans was not the whole plot of the book. Tilly played with her friends, and had a tea party. Tilly is just like every other kid, she was just assigned the wrong gender at birth. It was also nice to see not one but two supporting characters.

Errol and his teddy, Thomas, are best friends who do everything together. Whether it's riding a bike, playing in the tree house, having a tea party or all of the above, every day holds something fun to do together. One sunny day, Errol finds that Thomas the Teddy is sad, and Errol can't figure out why. Then Thomas the Teddy finally tells Errol what Teddy has been afraid to say: 'In my heart, I've always known that I'm a girl teddy, not a boy teddy. I wish my name was Tilly.' And Errol says, 'I don't care if you're a girl teddy or a boy teddy! What matters is that you are my friend.' A sweet and gentle story about being true to yourself and being a good friend, Introducing Teddy can also help children understand gender identity.

I'm so glad books like this are being written!

Cute illustrations, and a good introduction to the concept of gender identity, and how being yourself is the most important thing. Because if your friends are really your friends, they'll love you no matter what. Tilly the teddy definitely looks much happier by the end of the story! :)

I'm so glad books like this are being written!

Cute illustrations, and a good introduction to the concept of gender identity, and how being yourself is the most important thing. Because if your friends are really your friends, they'll love you no matter what. Tilly the teddy definitely looks much happier by the end of the story! :)

Teddy has always known “that I’m a girl teddy, not a boy teddy.” This sweet story of Thomas the Teddy’s decision to be true to who Teddy is can serve as an introduction to gender identity and as a reminder about the importance of being true to oneself.