Ian Hoffman

Jacob likes to wear dresses sometimes. In the school (kindergarten?) dress-up corner, he imagines himself as the princess. Some other kids accept him just fine, while at least one other kid objects that Boys Can't Wear Dresses. When Jacob wants to wear a dress to school, his parents hesitate, though they accept him. He makes a dress-thing out of towel which he wears over his school clothes-- the other kid steals it. So he asks his mom to help him make a real dress-- and they sew one up together. His dad says "Well, it's not what I would wear, but you look great." Jacob wears his dress to school and stands up to the boy who insists he should be grouped with the girls. "I made this dress, I'm proud of it it, and I'm going to wear it!"

This is a great story about acceptance and support., especially as it models how adults can best react and supports kids who are different. Jacob's mom says "There are all sorts of ways to be a boy," which is perfect. Jacob's parents are shown struggling with the decision to let him wear the dress to school (pretty clearly because it is likely to stir things up) and we are told Jacob gets a "can't-breathe feeling" from that-- but they do support him. And Jacob experiences his dress as a kind of "soft, cottony, magic armor" when the other boy teases him.… (mehr)