The eponymous girl in this engaging picture-book has to constantly correct people who assume that she is a boy, or refer to her with masculine pronouns. Just because she makes a lot of noise and mess, likes to compete athletically, and is interested in boats, people assume that she is a he. Determined to be herself, she always speaks up to set them right, affirming her identity in the process. Eventually she meets a little boy who is interested in things like dolls and princess dresses, and a beautiful friendship is born...

Although I have long been aware of Irish-born author/illustrator Yasmeen Ismail, I'm a Girl! is the first of her books that I have read. I'm glad I picked it up, as I appreciated both the narrative, which contradicts many of the stereotypes we have about gendered behavior, and the colorful artwork. I particularly liked the palette she used here, and the exuberant sense of motion she worked in throughout the book. Recommended to anyone looking for children's stories that affirm children's natural interests, and present the idea that those interests do not have to be tied to gender identity. ( )

A la niña de esta historia la confunden constantemente con un niño. Mientras bebe un refresco, juega a hacer espuma con la pajita. Desgraciadamente derrama todo por la mesa. Oye suspirar a la camarera: 'definitivamente, los niños son unos revoltosos y desordenados'. ¡Pero si soy una niña! Una niña a la que le gusta ir a toda velocidad en su patinete, saltar a la piscina, tocar la trompeta, hacer ruido y brincar por todos lados. Una niña que adora tanto jugar con muñecas como hacer una carrera y ganarla. Es una niña, ¡y que nadie le diga lo contrario! ¡Soy una niña! celebra quiénes somos de una manera divertida y animada. ¿Por qué el color rosa tiene que ser para las niñas y el azul para los niños?

Fun book! ( )

I love that this book shows the reader that girls can be wild, messy and loud like boys. It shows a girl breaking the stereotypes between boys and girls. It also teaches the reader to be yourself and not care about what others think of you. At first she just corrects the people that think she is a boy, but by the end of the story she gets angry with the people who call her a boy. The illustrations show that she is happy when she is being herself, but angry when she yells "I'm a girl!" I feel like this would be a great book for children to read to show that they should always be themselves. ( )

I enjoyed this book because the author really portrays the message that the characters want to be themselves and not compared to the stereotypes of boys and girls. The pictures are a great addition to the moral of the story. Not only do they have detail, but the young girl (the main character) is illustrated as blue, showing viewers that even though she may have blue skin, she can still have similar attributes that boys do. Also, just because the main character enjoys things or is better at something that other girls are not, she is comfortable in her own skin, which portrays a strong message to the readers. On another hand, this book was told in first person, which allows for a better understanding of the story in the main character’s eyes. Lastly, the dialogue and word choice was useful because the author repeatedly added, “I am a girl,” to signify how the main character’s appearance simply does not alter her self-confidence and eagerness to be different. ( )