I Absolutely, Positively Love My Spots

“I stand up and I stand out./ I am the light and the spark,” declares the vivacious narrator of Rivera’s upbeat debut, a Black child with vitiligo who indicates that “I was created special/ with my many beauty marks.” As other kids, portrayed with varied skin tones, ask about the protagonist’s appearance, referencing their “blotches,” “dots,” and “patches,” the child’s parents affirm that “Vitiligo makes you YOU!” and “You’re royalty through and through!” After playing indoors and out, the narrator takes the stage for a guitar performance as rhythmic language builds to an emphatic declaration: “I’m standing bold and beautiful/ as I rock what I got,// ’Cause I absolutely, positively/ love my spots!” Via texture and contrast, digital illustrations from Mata add warmth and lightheartedness to this self-loving tale. An author’s note and notes about vitiligo conclude. Ages 4–8. (June)