The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish

Hips swish, shoes stomp, jewels bling, and shoulders shimmy “all through the town” in this fizzy celebration of drag queen fierceness set to the rhythms of “The Wheels on the Bus.” Plunging right into the action (no note or explanation is given for what makes a drag queen a drag queen), colorful characters in extravagant makeup dance through the pages of this book, bedazzled with sequins, adorned with platform heels, and sporting bouffant coiffures (“The hair on the drag queen goes UP, UP, UP,” writes Lil Miss Hot Mess). Smoky eyes and contoured cheeks are expertly rendered with cartoonish flair by de Dios. Though the words are evanescent, illustrations subtly convey a sturdier message about inclusion. As the queens progress down city streets that hint at a San Francisco locale, drab gray-tone buildings transform into rainbow-hued masterpieces in their wake, showing that the group’s presence adds vibrancy and appeal to communities. Ages 4–8. (May)