ANNIE'S PLAID SHIRT is a Mom's Choice Awards GOLD Recipient! A Foreword Reviews INDIES Book of the Year Awards Winner! A Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist! 5 STARS from San Francisco Book Review! Annie loves her plaid shirt and wears it everywhere. But one day her mom tells Annie that she must wear a dress to her uncle's wedding. Annie protests, but her mom insists and buys her a fancy new dress anyway. Annie is miserable. She feels weird in dresses. Why can't her mom understand? Then Annie has an idea. But will her mom agree? ANNIE'S PLAID SHIRT will inspire readers to be themselves and will touch the hearts of those who love them. Themes of gender norms, identity, individuality, tolerance, and self-esteem. This is a much needed contribution to the field . I strongly recommend this important picture book. Along with introducing a character that's been missing from picture books - a gender expansive young girl - the story is a fun book about necessary defiance, self-advocacy, and the importance of family support. --Jennifer Miller, Ph.D., RaiseThemRighteous.com Beginning with the cataloging and dedication pages where we see Annie getting her favorite shirt out of the laundry basket, she is never without it. She is an active school-aged child, fully confident in her ungirly self-expression. But then her mom succumbs to gender expectations when they are invited to Uncle Benny's wedding. They go to the mall to get Annie's brother Albert a new suit and Annie a dress...The story ends happily as Annie comes up with an ingenious solution. Visually, the pages are uncluttered with lots of white space and just enough text. The watercolor illustrations by Rachael Balsaitis have a manga flavor that perfectly captures Annie's put-upon face...On the final page, the photos show the author and the illustrator in their own favorite plaid shirts, and even the end papers are plaid. This picture book affirms Annie's right to nonconformity in gender expression... It will appeal to all the children and serve as a discussion starter about problem solving, social expectations and individuality. --Carolyn Caywood, American Library Association's Rainbow Roundtable 5/5 Stars... I loved this story! It's a simple story, empowering, and Annie is endearing. While the story stands without the illustrations, artist Rachael Balsaitis...makes the story playful and shows Annie's independence. --San Francisco Book Review STACY B. DAVIDS, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist and works as a school psychologist. She's also a former special education teacher. Her inspiration for writing ANNIE'S PLAID SHIRT came from feeling pressure throughout her life to conform to society's rules about gender. Even as a baby she reportedly yanked pink bows out of her hair. As an adult she says, does, and wears what she wants. Stacy lives in Miami, FL. Just a few of her favorite things are cats, chocolate, and of course, plaid shirts. Also check out her consent and boundaries-themed picture book, SIMON THE HUGGER! Learn more at stacybdavids.com. SAM PINES (formerly R.B.) is a professional plaid-wearer and illustrator, having illustrated the titles ANNIE'S PLAID SHIRT and LOVE IS FOREVER. When she's not illustrating picture books she can be found reading the Sunday funnies, taking bike rides, and laughing at British comedies. Sam lives in Minneapolis with her critters. Learn more at rachaelbalsaitis.com.