Sewing the Rainbow

Gayle E. Pitman, PhD, is a professor of psychology and women's studies at Sacramento City College. Her teaching and writing focuses on gender and sexual orientation, and she has worked extensively with the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. She is the author of This Day in June, When You Look Out the Window, and Sewing the Rainbow. She lives in California. Visit her at www.gaylepitman.com and follow her on Facebook: GaylePitmanAuthor, Twitter: GaylePitman, and Instagram: GaylePitman.Holly Clifton-Brown, illustrator of Sewing the Rainbow, So Many Smarts, and Move Your Mood, is an illustrator and artist based in Somerset, England. She graduated from the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) in 2 8, and has since published several picture books and illustrations for an array of international publishing companies and clients. Her work combines traditional painting, mixed media, and collage with contemporary techniques to create a unique and imaginative visual language. Follow her on Facebook: HollyCliftonBrownIllustrator and on Twitter: HollyRCB

5th- th grade Finalist in 2 9 Children amp rsquo s Choice Book Awards2 9 ALA GLBT Round Table Rainbow Book List SelectionNCSS-CBC 2 9 Notable Social Science Trade Book for Young PeopleNational Parenting Product Award Winner (NAPPA)amp ldquo An enduring symbol of the LGBTQIAP+ community. amp rdquo amp ndash Booklistamp ldquo A colorful tribute to Gilbert Baker amp hellip creating the rainbow flag after a conversation with Harvey Milk. The art is beautiful and bright, transitioning powerfully from a subdued Kansan landscape to a flamboyant Bay Area amp hellip . It's clear this book has a lot of love for the flag's promise. amp rdquo -Kirkus Reviewsamp ldquo The story of the rainbow flag is just as much Gilbert Baker amp rsquo s story as it is the LGBTQ+ movement amp rsquo s story. Dr. Gayle Pitman tells the story of a sensitive boy who loved art and grew up to unite the world. Holly Clifton-Brown amp rsquo s colorful illustrations give us an apple-cheeked, sweet-faced boy who just wants to create her artwork goes wonderfully hand-in-hand with Dr. Pitman amp rsquo s prose to engender empathy in reader amp hellip This story pairs nicely with Rob Sanders and Steven Salerno amp rsquo s book, Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag, which has a nice little cameo by a grown-up Gilbert. Sewing the Rainbow is a must-add to your biography collections. amp rdquo -Mom Read Itamp quot I love how this story teaches us about Gilbert Baker and his legacy, but is also unapologetically direct about the importance of letting kids be themselves even if their personalities don amp rsquo t fit into some kind of society approved gender-specific boxes. Personalities are meant to shine, not be squashed and molded into a form that we think is appropriate. amp quot  -From the Insideamp quot I am so happy to see a picture biography about Gilbert Baker and his legacy, which can at times become sidelined when when we focus on Harvey Milk in our queer history....I appreciate how paralleling the story of his creating the rainbow flag is his story of being free to be himself after childhood and early young adulthood experiences of peoples amp rsquo disapproval of him. This is, of course, what the flag represents. The story celebrates unity,  in diversity, symbols, creativity and that we should never feel ashamed of letting our inner sparkle show. The illustrations are bright and colorful, perfect for the story. This is an important addition to your units on inclusion, tolerance and lgbt history. amp quot -Miss Marple's Musings