Hello, friends! Our book today is I Love My Body Because, written by Shelly Anand and Nomi Ellenson, and illustrated by Erika Rodriguez Medina, an affirmation on body positivity.

All bodies are miracles. They take us where we want to go, either physically or in our imaginations. They let us express ourselves, and how we feel about the people we care about. They hold brilliant minds that are capable of anything, and kind hearts that lead us to be the best that we can be. And just as every body is different, every body is beautiful, no matter its size, shape, color, or ability. After all, every body holds a unique and special person within it, and that makes each one miraculous and marvelous.

Wonderful. Anand and Ellenson’s gentle text explores the importance of bodies far beyond their appearance, while also delicately encouraging self-care and subtly undermining standards of beauty and “acceptable” body types. Medina supports this perfectly with an incredibly diverse and inclusive cast across size, skintone, ability, religious attire, hair type, and more. Readers will know that I’ve occasionally complained on this blog that picture books often forget about body type when they aim for inclusive casts; this book absolutely does not. Intersectional children of all sizes are shown being active, playing with friends, and most importantly, feeling confident in their appearances. In addition, the length is perfect for a storytime, and JJ and I really loved it. This is a fantastic story to explore body positivity and inclusive beauty, and we recommend it for every young reader – Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)