“My creativity and curiosity flow without end, and if I meet an obstacle, I just begin again.”

This picture book of metaphors encourages readers to imagine, ponder, and dream. The short poetic “I am” statements on each page truly make the reader the narrator of the work. While many young elementary readers may not have visualized themselves as a “conjurer,” “bridge builder,” or “laughter” before reading this book, they will once they are within its pages.

The book may seem like a fast, quick read, but the corresponding images will entice the reader to slow down and linger. Indeed, the photographic art by Regis and Kahran Bethencourt set this self-affirming book well apart from titles with similar messages. The images creatively expand on the text with costumes as elaborate as the text is simple. An effective and beautiful pairing.

The fantastical yet introspective journey ends with the empowering statement “I am all these things and more, you see, because I am the me I choose to be.”

Recommended for families with elementary school aged children and for cosplayers of all ages.