It's a reminder that everyone is unique, and that it's ok to be different. It's ok to be smart, sporty, artistic, or anything else.
Be Your Own Man points out that boys can be good listeners, but that you don't have to be good at everything.
The advice in the book is to celebrate your strengths, be kind and respectful, to others and yourself.
Not everyone looks the same, and not everyone feels the same, and that's ok, too.
In Be Your Own Man there are tips for expressing your feelings, not keeping them bottled up inside, and what you can do if you're feeling angry, sad or worried -- including asking for help.
Be Your Own Man is filled with pictures of boys of all kinds, in many different situations. It was written to normalise so-called 'softer' behaviours like sensitivity and creativity, and support a broad spectrum of ideas about what masculinity is.
Aimed at primary school aged children, this is a book that would be best read by children with a trusted adult, so they can ask questions and freely discuss the subjects raised.
Title: Be Your Own Man
Author: Jessica Sanders
Illustrator: Robbie Cathro
Publisher: Five Mile, $24.99
Publication Date: September 2020
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781922385062
For ages: 6+
Type: Junior Non-Fiction