Marley wants to see their beloved grandparent receive an award at Pride, but how can they overcome their fears of crowds and noise? Marley is a little nonbinary kid with big anxieties. Crowds? Pass. Loud noises? No, thanks. When their Zaza is up for an award at Pride, they want to go to the parade for the first time with their beloved grandparent. But can Marley overcome their fears? Highlighting the joyful experiences of a queer family of color finding community at Pride, this story features endmatter about the history of Pride, a glossary of LGBTQ+ terms, and a list of resources. AGES: 3 to 9 AUTHOR: Joëlle Retener (she/they) is a Kreyol American children's author from the Washington, DC, metro area. A proud Spelman College graduate, Joëlle is passionate about sharing stories that celebrate Black pride and Queer joy. When they are not writing, you can find them gardening or tending to their small homestead. Joëlle lives in a cabin in the woods with their partner and three tiny humans.> DeAnn Wiley (she) is a self-taught illustrator with a Master's degree in counseling psychology, born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. She advocates for social justice from the intersection of multiple identities - Black, Woman, Queer, and disabled - and she stands in solidarity with communities of which she is not a member. When she is not painting, she's learning, growing, and healing, with each phase of her journey depicted in her art. DeAnn is the illustrator of Sarah Rising, the Sunday Adventures series, and her author-illustrator debut, Homegrown. SELLING POINTS: . LGBTQ+ REPRESENTATION: Features a nonbinary Black child and grandparent and focuses on the queer community's experience during Pride month. . SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING: Deals with coping with social anxiety, overcoming fear of crowds, and finding community through identity in a heartwarming storyline with a light, funny tone. . ACTIVISM: Celebrates a trans elder receiving an award for their work helping the trans community; endnotes discuss the history of Pride and its origins as a protest. . LIVED EXPERIENCE: Created by a queer Black activist author and a queer Black illustrator who is also a social justice advocate.
