Neither

A curious little green hybrid creature is born in the Land of This and That, but is neither a blue bunny nor a yellow bird, and finds it difficult to win acceptance. Eventually driven away by unkindness, Neither wanders about, eventually finding the Land of All, where everyone is welcome, no matter who they are...

Pairing a simple tale of diversity and acceptance with brightly-colored illustrations, Neither is a book that can be interpreted in a variety of ways, all of them useful in opening a discussion about tolerance. I have seen it described as a children's story about being transgender, although I think it works equally well as a story about either bisexuality, gender fluidity, or being biracial (the latter being how I interpreted show more the story, initially). Recommended to anyone looking for simple, cheerful stories about accepting others for who they are, rather than trying to put them in boxes. show less

“Once upon a time, there were two kinds: this and that”: blue bunnies and yellow birds, with no other options. Until one day, an unusual egg hatches something that’s a bit of both—it’s a bright green creature with ears and tail like a bunny’s on a body like a bird’s. An animal that’s both, or Neither, does not really fit in anywhere, not quite “rabbity” nor “birdy” enough. So Neither flies off for Somewhere Else and stumbles upon a friendly community with lots of other “neither” sorts. Anderson’s bright gouache illustrations depict fantastic, rainbow-hued creatures that don’t quite fit into any neat box, not even those of well-known mythical creatures. Wings, spots, unicorn horns, and beaks, in any show more combination, all are welcome in the Land of All. Overtly a celebration of nonbinary identities, this parable is well-suited for any shelf seeking positive diversity titles for preschoolers and early-elementary students. Reminiscent of other recent titles in the same vein (Michael Hall’s Red, 2015, and Andrea J. Loney and Carmen Saldaña’s Bunnybear, 2017, are just two), this stands out for its accessibility to even very young read-aloud audiences.

A sweet story of acceptance for all those who are this, that, neither, either, and everything in between .

-Lorlis Review show less

“Once upon a time, there were two kinds: this and that”: blue bunnies and yellow birds, with no other options. Until one day, an unusual egg hatches something that’s a bit of both—it’s a bright green creature with ears and tail like a bunny’s on a body like a bird’s. An animal that’s both, or Neither, does not really fit in anywhere, not quite “rabbity” nor “birdy” enough. So Neither flies off for Somewhere Else and stumbles upon a friendly community with lots of other “neither” sorts. Anderson’s bright gouache illustrations depict fantastic, rainbow-hued creatures that don’t quite fit into any neat box, not even those of well-known mythical creatures. Wings, spots, unicorn horns, and beaks, in any show more combination, all are welcome in the Land of All. Overtly a celebration of nonbinary identities, this parable is well-suited for any shelf seeking positive diversity titles for preschoolers and early-elementary students. Reminiscent of other recent titles in the same vein (Michael Hall’s Red, 2015, and Andrea J. Loney and Carmen Saldaña’s Bunnybear, 2017, are just two), this stands out for its accessibility to even very young read-aloud audiences.

A sweet story of acceptance for all those who are this, that, neither, either, and everything in between . (Picture book. 2-6)

-Kirkus Review show less

This book is still a favorite of my kids after several years. Neither is ostracized from the community for not being birdy enough or rabbity enough and sets out to find Somewhere Else. What they end up finding is The Land of All - a place of acceptance and where everyone belongs. The illustrations in this book help tell the story of acceptance and belonging for beings outside of the binary and illustrate that no identity is wrong. This is a book to use with young kids to understand that people exist outside of the binary and that is ok. This is a great book for older kids to discuss the challenges for nonbinary members of our community. A fantastic short read that launches a bunch of discussions. Also, the last page can be a fun show more scavenger hunt for readers. show less

This is one of my favorite books I've read in a while. Neither is too "birdy" to be a rabbit, but too "rabbity" to be a bird. When the birds and rabbits exclude him from their activities he finds a new home where he fits in. This story reminds me of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" and how he doesn't fit in so he goes to be with the misfit toys. It has an important message about not bullying others who aren't like you and that everyone has a place in the world, even if it's hard to find.

This book is so creative and is my favorite book I have read thus far for this assignment. The language in this book is simply and fun. The author created new and unique words for this story, which leads the story to having a fun and playful tone. This story has a great overall message, which I think it so important for students to grasp and understand. The overall message of this book is to accept diversity and to be accepting of peoples differences.This book portrays this message in a simple and cute way that makes it easy enough for students to understand.
The writing style used in this book is very well organized and creates a great flow to the story. The author incorporated different colors for words which allows to create a sense show more of understanding as to what is happening in the story. The story is written in chronological sequence which makes it easy to follow and assume what is happening next. The illustrations in this story are another thing I really took notice to and enjoyed in the story. The detailed illustrations and fun colors really engaged me in the story and made it much more enjoyable to read.
This is a great story to include in the classroom. This would be a book that I would read during carpet time, because I think the message of the story is so great that every student would benefit from reading it. show less

Recommended by Rob L.

A creature hatches from an egg into the Land of This and That, but it is Neither - and the unwelcoming creatures (all obviously birds or rabbits) tell it to go Somewhere Else. Lucky little Neither finds, instead, the Land of All, where all sorts of unique creatures are welcome. An obvious, but welcome, parable of inclusion.

Re-read July 2022