This book is a whimsical reimagination of the familiar English nursery rhyme that celebrates creativity and exploration instead of gender stereotypes. Who says that girls are made of sugar and spice and everything nice? Or that boys are made of frogs and snails and puppy dog’s tails?
“But why can’t girls be made of monkeys and dirt and lemon dessert?
And who says boys can’t be made of flowers and swings and bumblebee wings?”
*******************************
“A celebration of imagination and the limitlessness of life” Kirkus
Sugar and Snails
Sarah Tsiang – Author
Sonja Wimmer – Illustrator
When a white-haired grandfather shares the well-known “sugar and spice” poem about what little girls and boys are made of, his grandchildren react to the gender stereotypes. “I don’t wear dresses,” says the older sister. “And I don’t like frogs,” grumps the brother.
The grandfather then unravels the well know poem by exploring new ingredients for the children. “Okay, so boys are made of cookies and spice…and jump-roping mice?”
The book concludes with the tapestry image from the first page, but the children have pulled out many of the threads. Which means the work is still half-done, of course!
*******************************
********************************
Sharing this book with your children, is an opportunity to talk about
how they see themselves………… “So, what do you think you are made of?”