Randy Rainbow and the Marvelously Magical Pink Glasses

Randy Rainbow prefers “brightly colored three-piece suits and sparkly bow ties” to “dull blue jeans and drab T-shirts,” and loves old films, Broadway tunes, and Halloween. But when popular peers bully him, and Randy tries to blend in, the attempt dims his “bright light.” Happily, a pink, rhinestone-covered pair of cat-eye glasses in a donation box comes to the rescue. Randy’s grandmother, Nanny, tells him that “when you wear them, you can be anything and anywhere you want—in the blink of an eye!” With the glasses, and some magic words from Nan, Randy regains his confidence and navigates a bevy of difficult situations—further bullying, a flu shot, a swimming lesson—by embracing who he is and what he loves. Sharing a name with his protagonist, author Rainbow uses lengthy descriptions and dialogue to delve into Randy’s change of perspective; MacGibbon’s bold-outlined drawings of the child and his glasses-powered transformations underscore the unique magic behind each individual. Randy and Nan are portrayed with pale skin; secondary characters are shown with various abilities and skin tones. Ages 4–8. (May)