Studio Mucci: A Rainbow in Your Cloud

In this openhearted story exhorting self-acceptance, conversational first-person narration from Mucciolo proposes that within each person exists a rainbow that combines “all the special little things that make each of us unique.” Acknowledging through an anecdote that it can be scary to express oneself, the narrator offers an example of moving toward self-acceptance. “There were times when I was afraid to be honest about what I liked,” the child begins, echoing a pal who says they no longer like unicorns. Sharing feelings with supportive friends helps, and as the subject grows in confidence, they learn to reveal their inner unicorn-lover, and to “know I’m just right.” Rainbows appropriately abound in Pierre’s bubbly, candy-colored cartoons, which empathically capture the protagonist’s effort to achieve fearless self-expression—and reveal that modeling authenticity has a knock-on effect: “others can’t help but let their rainbow shine, too!” Characters are portrayed with a range of brown skin tones. Ages 4–8. (Mar.)