Anastasia Higginbotham – illustratör

FEATURED IN MS. MAGAZINE'S "15 BOOKS FOR KIDS THAT PROVE YOU CAN BE A FEMINIST AT ANY AGE"Anastasia Higginbotham's What You Don't Know: A Story of Liberated Childhood delves into queerness, Blackness, and the love that dismantles whiteness.It’s a book about knowing deeply that you matter—always did, always will. It’s a book about what schools get wrong and churches don’t say; but institutions are made by people and the people are evolving. It’s a book about being known and cherished by family, and living in communion with your own personal Jesus, Buddha, Spirit, Source, Father, Mother, God, breath, inner space, outer space, nothingness, and however else we name and relate to our divinity and humility in the presence of all we don’t know.Most children, gay or not, in or out, are sure to find themselves within these pages. The message that “all you need is to be you” will stay with readers long after the last page, in a book for LGBTQIA+ collections and beyond. —SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNALHigginbotham manages to acknowledge the bias that Demetrius faces, put the emphasis on the love he receives, and make him an empowered and confident protagonist who is grateful for help but not a passive victim. —MOMBIANI think the days of Heather Has Two Mommies are long past. We're ready for GLBTQIA+ stories for kids that are a little bit complicated and a little bit interesting and a whole lotta fantastic. For all this, the person you turn to is Anastasia Higginbotham. —BETSY BIRD, Collection Development Manager of the Evanston Public Library

ONE OF SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL's BEST BOOKS OF 2022In You Ruined It, Anastasia Higginbotham, acclaimed author of Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness, sheds light on the confusion and pain that many children feel in the aftermath of incest and sexual assault.When 11-year-old Dawn discloses that a favorite cousin sexually assaulted her, it's hard to tell what hurts more: the betrayal or the fall-out. After all, everyone always says to tell someone, but does this mean she'll never get to hang out with him again? What if he goes to jail? And the biggest question of all: How will she know if she can trust someone again?You Ruined It is a testament to a child's experience of a confusing betrayal, her broken heart, and the loved ones who help her piece it back together.I wish I had this magical brave book when I was young and being abused. So beautifully rendered and carefully told. May it inspire anyone caught in childhood sexual abuse to tell their story and get free. —V (formerly EVE ENSLER), award-winning playwright and author of bestsellers The Vagina Monologues and The Apology

FEATURED IN THE NEW YORK TIMESPart of the Ordinary Terrible Things series, the new and expanded edition of Death Is Stupid is an invaluable tool for discussing death, exploring grief, and honoring the life of our loved ones.When someone we love dies, adults often say things like, "She's in a better place now," or "I know how you feel." You do not, one little boy thinks after his grandma passes away. Caught in the swirl of anger, confusion, and fear that accompanies grief and mourning, he doesn't just think death is unfair—he thinks death is stupid. It takes him some time, but when he starts sharing cherished memories of his grandma and working in her garden, he starts to feel just a little bit better. Necessary, beautiful, and ultimately reassuring, Death Is Stupid helps make death a little less scary—for kids and adults.The Ordinary Terrible Things series shows children who navigate trouble with their senses on alert and their souls intact. In these stories of common childhood crises, help may come from family, counselors, teachers, or dreams—but crucially, it's the children themselves who find their way to cope and grow.

Featuring brand-new activity pages and additional learning material, the paperback edition of Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness is a picture book about racism and racial justice, inviting white children and parents to become curious about racism, accept that it's real, and cultivate justice. An honest explanation about how power and privilege factor into the lives of white children, at the expense of other groups, and how they can help seek justice. —THE NEW YORK TIMESONE OF HUFFPOST'S RECOMMENDED "ANTI-RACIST BOOKS FOR KIDS AND TEENS"**A WHITE RAVEN 2019 SELECTION**NAMED ONE OF SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL'S BEST BOOKS OF 2018 This book does a phenomenal job of explaining how power and privilege affect us from birth, and how we can educate ourselves...Not My Idea is an incredibly important book, one that we should all be using as a catalyst for our anti-racist education. —THE TINY ACTIVISTQuite frankly, the first book I’ve seen that provides an honest explanation for kids about the state of race in America today. —ELIZABETH BIRD, librarian“It’s that exact mix of true-to-life humor and unflinching honesty that makes Higginbotham’s book work so well…”—PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (*Starred Review) A much-needed title that provides a strong foundation for critical discussions of white people and racism, particularly for young audiences. Recommended for all collections. —SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (*Starred Review) A necessary children's book about whiteness, white supremacy, and resistance… Important, accessible, needed. —KIRKUS REVIEWS A timely story that addresses racism, civic responsibility, and the concept of whiteness. —FOREWORD REVIEWS For white folks who aren’t sure how to talk to their kids about race, this book is the perfect beginning. —O MAGAZINE