Rainbow Boy

by Taylor Rouanzion, Stacey Chomiak (Illustrator)

A story about a boy with a heart too big for one color alone. A little boy attempts to answer one of grown-ups' all-time favorite "What's your favorite color?" But with so many wonderful colors to choose from, he doesn't know how to answer. He loves his pink sparkly tutu, bright red roses, soft yellow baby doll pajamas, and big, orange basketball. How will he ever pick?

Genres: Picture Books, LGBT, Childrens, Family, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Gender

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2020

About the author

Taylor Rouanzion lives in Northern California with her husband, child, and miniature dachshund. She has been a part of local support groups for trans/gender-nonconforming kids and their parents. Her own child is gender nonconforming and has inspired Taylor to write for her and others like her so they can be seen in children's literature.

Taylor earned her bachelor's degree in English and is currently studying for her master's in library and information science. She has worked as a children's and youth library assistant and hopes to become a children's librarian someday in the future.

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

What's your favorite color?
A little boy has to explain each of them: from a pink tutu to an orange basketball, this child loves to play with everything and do everything. He shares his love and hobby affiliated with every color. He also gets some great advice from his Mom when confronted about not understanding why people try and restrict him to selecting just one color.

Vibrant and cheery illustrations compliment the colors and activities perfectly.
This book is great to explore various hobbies/activities, colors, days of the week, breaking the gender norm, supporting children in creativity/imagination/happiness and familial love.

I LOVE RAINBOW BOY!

[Tracy Gold · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely adorable! It's great for boys who love colors beyond just the stereotypical "boy" colors, sure, but also to explore the concepts of colors and days of the week with any child. It's also a great book to challenge conceptions of which activities are appropriate for which gender--kids can play basketball or be a ballerina no matter their gender! The book ends with a heartwarming message about how staying true to yourself can change the world. The illustrations are colorful and welcoming.

*I received an early review e-copy

[Kelly Mangan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a cute book. A little boy loves all the colors of the rainbow, and exploring what each one means to him. I love the message that little boys don’t have to be boxed in. They can be nurturing, artistic, athletic, pretty, fantastical—whatever their heart desires.

[Ana Siqueira · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG! What a super cute, but at the same time deep book.
Rainbow boy can't choose a color, because he loves all of them.
And for each day, he chooses one color and one activity.
It's a book of allowing boys to like and enjoy all the colors of the world and
also all the games and activities. Boys can dance ballet.
Boys can kick a basketball. Boys can change the world.
My favorite spread is when he is wearing purple and mom says he can save the world.
All the boys, and of course, all the girls, should believe they can be whatever they want to
be and save the world.
This book is so filled with beautiful images and illustrations- fun and sweet, they take us right inside the world of this Rainbow boy and many other Rainbow kids throughout the world.
Your kid will love it.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rainbow Boy is such a beautiful book to inspire kids to be themselves. It’s also lovely how it touches on gender nonconforming topics in such a fun way; plus kids will love the bright, fun colors in these illustrations!

[Samira · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely delightful read that speaks to the irrepressible artist in all of us! This little rainbow boy cannot simply answer the limited—and undeniably gender-restrictive—question "What's your favorite color?" He adores them all, and to top it off, has elaborate imaginary scenarios to match with each and every one (I particularly loved his scaly green mermaid tail he uses to swim around on mom's green quilt). What's so especially endearing about Rainbow Boy is Rouanzion's assertion that no matter how much others try to silo you, the expression of your true self will burst forth. Also so lovely to see how Rainbow Boy is supported and encouraged by his parents, letting the dancer/illustrator/athlete/actor inside him explore and create. And Stacey Chomiak's ebullient representations, full of life and color, endorse every word of his journey.

[Tracy Schillemore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked that this book made the fact that a little boy is dressing as a princess or a mermaid a non-issue. Both are just matter of fact. No big deal. Nobody is bullied, nobody has parents or siblings for friends that struggle with this fact. I think it is a good book to start getting children to not think of gender as so binary without making an issue of it.

[Paulette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so cute and adorable!!! Honestly...this was definitely me as a child, and so of course this was v relatable!!

[Kristy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is adorable, and has a great message for kids (and adults!) without being didactic. Many children will see themselves in Rainbow Boy.

[Stacey Chomiak · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will always love this beautiful little story! Can't wait for my kids to read it and hold it! I loved coming up with the visuals to help bring it to life. <3

[Phaea Crede · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely, relatable picture book featuring a fabulous gender non-conforming child.

[Maia James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this sweet story of a little boy who is asked, “What’s your favorite color?” But he can’t choose only one!

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this was a great book for teaching concepts, but also for getting past gender roles. I appreciate that this isn't a "heavy" read, but one that presents that, yeah, some kids just don't fit into strict gender classifications. It doesn't put a label on them, or try to extrapolate their identity; it just says that, yeah, it's okay to like what you like.

Sidenote tangent: I don't understand why boys playing with dolls is considered "girly"; like, is it "girly" for a father to take care of a baby? So annoying.

(And I personally have always hated the "what's your favorite color?" question, myself. It depends on my mood- I hate being locked into one thing forever. )

[Rainbow Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last week, I was speaking to someone I love very much, and she told me that her son (who is expecting a child) “would not let” the child have a yellow blanket if it is a boy. Yellow. The color of taxis, bananas, ducklings, and lemons. Not appropriate for a boy? I was floored. I couldn’t help but hope his child arrives and challenges every notion this man has about gender.

This is, of course, just one example of the ways we put our children into boxes before they are even born. If we offer or refuse things like books, toys, clothes, and colors according to our child’s assigned gender, we are not only limiting their horizons, but reinforcing harmful stereotypes that will follow them for the rest of their lives. Books like Rainbow Boy are the perfect way to challenge these stereotypes at a young age.

This lovely picture book introduces us to a young boy who is often asked “What’s your favorite color?” As a former child who also hated this question, I love our young narrator’s answer. He tells us how much he loves every color in the rainbow, and how he has a new favorite for every day of the week.

Rainbow Boy was one of my most anticipated titles of 2021, and it did not disappoint. This is a great book to teach the youngest readers about colors and the days of the week, but it also presents an opportunity to have deeper conversations about gender. Rainbow Boy provides the perfect example of a young boy who loves pink or blue, and dolls or basketball. His interest are his own and are not based on society’s expectations for him.

The gorgeous illustrations from Stacey Chomiak capture our Rainbow Boy’s personality and imagination in such a fun way. And of course, the colors are stunning.

I would like to thank Beaming Books for providing me with a review copy of this amazing book. I can’t wait to add it to my arsenal of supportive books to teach my son to unapologetically love the things he loves, even when the world tells them they are not for him.

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[Luna Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rainbow Boy by Taylor Rouanzion, illustrated by Stacey Chomiak, is a joyful, affirming, and beautifully inclusive picture book that celebrates individuality and self-expression. Centered on a young boy with a heart “too big for one color alone,” the story explores a question many children are asked, “What’s your favorite color?” and transforms it into a thoughtful reflection on identity, freedom, and joy.

Rather than choosing just one color, the boy delights in many: a pink sparkly tutu, bright red roses, soft yellow pajamas, and a bold orange basketball. Rouanzion’s gentle, lyrical storytelling validates a child’s natural curiosity and creativity, reminding readers that it’s okay, and wonderful, to love many things without limits. The book sends a powerful yet age-appropriate message about embracing who you are and resisting the pressure to fit into narrow expectations.

Stacey Chomiak’s illustrations are warm, vibrant, and full of life. Each page bursts with color and emotion, perfectly reflecting the boy’s wide-ranging interests and exuberant spirit. The artwork enhances the story’s message, inviting readers to celebrate diversity in all its forms.

Rainbow Boy is a reassuring and uplifting read for children and adults alike. It opens the door to meaningful conversations about self-expression, acceptance, and kindness, while remaining playful and accessible for young audiences. This book is an excellent choice for families, classrooms, and libraries seeking stories that affirm individuality and encourage children to be true to themselves. Rainbow Boy is a colorful, heartfelt celebration of authenticity, imagination, and the freedom to love the whole rainbow.

[Mirallegro, Marissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Rainbow Boy" is a story about a boy who cannot choose a favorite color because he likes them all too much! He talks about how he has a different favorite color each day depending on what he is doing. For example, his favorite color is blue on Fridays because he makes sparkly blue snowflakes that he hangs up. At the end of the story, he goes to his mom and says he can't choose a favorite color. His mom calls him a rainbow boy as her response. I really enjoyed this book because it breaks down gender norms. On Mondays, the boy's favorite color is pink because he dresses up in a tutu and plays ballerina. This is usually geared towards girls, so it was very refreshing to see a boy be a ballerina. I also like this book because it tells kids it's ok to not have to choose one favorite thing because there is no one correct answer. It's ok to like everything! I would definitely use this book in my classroom because it does a great job at breaking down gender norms, has a great message, and I believe the illustrations are very entertaining as well.

[Alison Marcotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

When we're kids, adults simplify everything for us. Adults are trying to make the world easier for us to understand, but often this makes things worse. We're supposed to have one best friend, one favorite food, one favorite color... But what if we have more than one favorite color, favorite food, best friend? What if we're more complex that just being one thing?

In RAINBOW BOY, the main character is constantly asked by grownups, "What’s your favorite color?", and he doesn't know what to say to that — he loves all the colors in the rainbow. On one heartbreaking page, he says, "Thinking about choosing just one color makes me sad."

Author Taylor Rouanzion and illustrator Stacey Chomiak do an amazing job showing kids that they can be more than one thing. They can love all colors of the rainbow. They can "love [their] pink tutu AND [their] orange basketball AND [their] green mermaid tail." This is a powerful and inspiring picture book, and I'm so excited to see it published in 2021!

[Sierra Duncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rainbow Boy by Taylor Rouanzion; Illustrated by Stacey Chomiak

Rainbow Boy is an amazing book that explains there is no reason to pick just one color as your favorite.You can have more than just one favorite color The pages are full of bright colors and relatable imagination that many children will be drawn too. The book addresses gender nonconforming which is beautiful for children to learn at a young age. I loved how the book makes it known that it is okay to be whoever you want to be. The book also breaks the stereotype that boys like some colors and girls like other colors. Everyone can love all the colors. One of my favorite colors described is pink, where he puts on a pink sparkly tutu. Recommended for ages 3-5, or anyone who needs a heart warming book.

[FM Family · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good one which I think my 4.5 year old who has 4 favourite colours could relate to. Good text to show that kids can be changeable and like all different kinds of things at once, and that sometimes it's really the grownups who are the ones who can't understand that multiplicity. Good story for exploring the idea that a kid can identify as a boy and still enjoy all different types of colours, ways of dress and activities without predetermining what those things may or may not imply. My kid seemed to enjoy it and I think also took in the message of diverse gender expression to some degree.

[Theresa Trinder · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such an important story and so tenderly done, it should be on the shelves of every early childhood classroom. Some moments are simple fun while others are profoundly poetic—but that’s how this protagonist sees the world. With its “row after row of red roses, with their swirly centers,” “sparkly pink tutu(s),” and “an ocean of green,” it’s true: it’s impossible to pick just one favorite color. In a world of impossible choices, this book is a breath of fresh air. We don’t have to choose—or to be—just one thing. Our hearts can hold it all.

[Tina Athaide · Rating 5 out of 5]

Taylor Rouanzion has written an empowering and educational picture book that proves colors are for everyone, regardless of gender. This timely and beautiful picture book rethinks and reframes the stereotypical blue/pink gender binary and empowers kids-and their grown-ups-to express themselves in every color of the rainbow. Vibrant illustrations help children learn and identify the myriad colors that surround them every day, from the orange of a basketball, to the pink of a ballerina's tutu, all the way to the wonder of a multicolored rainbow.

Great for Grades TK-2 and a must have for classrooms.

[Amy the book-bat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like that this book is about a gender-nonconforming child but doesn't smack you in the face with it. The child is treated liked any other child with a loving, accepting parent. This is so important. Children need to know that it is ok to be different. I may be expressing an unpopular opinion, but i truly believe that everyone is a little "queer". As the mother of a gender-fluid child, i really appreciate that more books like this are being published. My child (who recently turned 21) would have benefitted from reading stories about similar children when at a young age.

[Corey Finkle · Rating 5 out of 5]

My son's favorite color was pink until his first day of kindergarten, after which he informed me that pink was a girl's color, and his new favorite was black. I SO wish I'd had this book to read to him back then.

This not a book with a cause, nor does it have an agenda. It is simply a book that celebrates boyhood and colors, and shows boys that they are allowed to love them all. Simply beautiful.

[Adrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so adorable!! I love the fact that the main little boy in the story doesn't conform to adult expectations and just choose one favorite color. My child was also one who loved them all and rainbows most of all; she would have loved to read this book in preschool or early elementary school. The bright colorful art has a whimsiness to it, that captures the playfulness and cheer exuded by the little boy; and the ending was so sweet, it will just make your heart melt (you'll see).

[Deidre · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was provided with an advanced copy of this book and after reading it, I ordered it for my nephew who LOVES pink. This book’s message of “be yourself” communicated through something as simple as allowing yourself to like any or ALL colors of the rainbow - no matter your gender - is heartwarming. A great book that focuses on colors and the days of the week all while allowing children to be children.

[Charlotte Offsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This heartwarming new picture book is about a young boy who comes up with the perfect answer to one of grown-ups' all-time favorite questions: "What's your favorite color?" Rainbow Boy loves lots of different colors for lots of different reasons. A beautifully layered book sure to open the door to important conversations around breaking stereotypes. It shows no one needs to pick just one color or one thing to be!

[Kris Dersch · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was sweet and I can tell how necessary it is because my kid kept asking why he wears a tutu if he's a boy and even though I've never taught my kid that ballet (or tutus!) are just for girls, he picks up on that stereotype by living in this culture and fighting against it is good. Plus this boy also loves basketball and mermaid tales.
I liked how colorful it was. The illustration style isn't my favorite but it works and doesn't take away from the book.

[Genesee Rickel]

I read this for Trans Day of Visibility (March 31st) booklist.

Suggested for ages 0 - 8. This heartwarming story demonstrates that the things we love, including our favorite colors, has nothing to do with our gender. Rouanzion takes inspiration from her own gender nonconforming child, depicting a boy who loves basketball, dolls, mermaids, puddles, and more - something for each color in the rainbow.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars
"Your heart is just too big for one color alone. You need a whole rainbow to fill it up."
Yes I do and so does this sweet little boy who has a different favorite color for each day of the week. On Sundays he loves pink and his pink tutu. On Tuesdays he loves orange and his basketball. On Fridays he loves blue and snowflakes and water puddles. He can't decide on just one. He loves them all. And that is okay!

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an excellent depiction of how sometimes, kids (and people) cannot simply be categorized into one thing or another. In this story, a boy feels like he is too full of all the rainbow's colors to be able to pick just a favorite one, and that's okay! There are days when he can like one color and not the other, or vice versa. The author does an excellent job of explaining this through the parent-child dynamic; I really enjoyed what this book had to share.