Title: Neither

By: Airlie Anderson

Good For: Kids ages 5-10

The Skinny: An adorable creature from The Land of This and That, who is both—or Neither—attempts to fit in with his peers. But while he tries to play and assimilate with them, both groups, This and That, shun “Neither” and rudely suggest he go Somewhere Else. Neither is banished from The Land of This and That, until he meets creatures who are quite unlike anything he has ever seen—fitting in perfectly in The Land of All.

The Pros: The colorful gouache illustrations pop right off the page and are perfect for young readers. The story is told in a simple, easy-to-follow format, and really has the reader wondering where Neither will go to fit in. Short enough for bedtime.

The Cons: Honestly, none.

The Bottom Line: This story wonderfully shows children how to make everyone feel included and accepted, while also being a great allegory for those children (and adults!) who may feel like they don’t belong in any particular group, or even those who may be from more than one ethnic background, culture, faith, or identity.

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