Born Ready: The True Story of a Boy Named Penelope

by Jodie Patterson, Charnelle Pinkney Barlow (Contributor)

Jodie Patterson, activist and Chair of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation Board, shares her transgender son's experience in this important picture book about identity and acceptance.

Penelope knows that he's a boy. (And a ninja.) The problem is getting everyone else to realize it.

In this exuberant companion to Jodie Patterson's adult memoir, The Bold World, Patterson shares her son Penelope's frustrations and triumphs on his journey to share himself with the world. Penelope's experiences show children that it always makes you stronger when you are true to yourself and who you really are.

Genres: Picture Books, LGBT, Childrens, Gender, Family, Nonfiction, Queer

40 pages, Library Binding

First published April 13, 2021

About the author

Jodie Patterson is a social activist, entrepreneur, and writer. She has been lauded for her activist work by Hillary Clinton, The Advocate, Family Circle, Essence, Cosmopolitan, and Yahoo!, among others. She sits on the board of a number of gender/family/human rights organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign, and is a sought-after public speaker addressing a wide range of audiences about identity, gender, beauty, and entrepreneurship. Patterson was appointed by the United Nations as a Champion of Change and, perhaps most impressively, she is a former circus acrobat who performed in the Big Apple Circus. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, where she co-parents her five children with love, education, and family solidarity.

Reviews

[Prabhjot Kaur · Rating 5 out of 5]

If they'd all stop and listen, I'd tell them about me. Inside I'm a boy.
When I close my eyes and dream, I'm a boy.
When I karate-chop the bad guys, I. Am. A. Boy.

I think like a boy. I feel like a boy.
I might look different from other boys, but yes, I'm sure I'm a boy.

What a beautiful book that shares an important message about transgender kids. A book that should be read by kids and adults alike to understand more about transgenders. It is based on the author's son's life and I am so glad that she shared this with the rest of the world.

5 stars

[Mia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am beyond overjoyed to see several children's books being published with transgender characters. This book was unique within itself because the young character (transitioning from female to male) wants to keep his name Penelope. What a beautiful sentiment that we get to choose who we are and what we are called. Highly recommend. The story depicts a mom, a dad, a grandfather, and several siblings who all have different feelings about Penelope's transitioning, but who all come around to the idea and support him.

[Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a much needed book about transgender children and the feelings they experience. It also contains good guidance for parents with young transgender children. Thank you to the author for sharing your son with us.

This unbiased review is based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.

[Pierce Samuel ✞︎ (My Girlfriend's Ver.) · Rating 5 out of 5]

In light of me cutting my hair in my bathroom today because my hair got too long for my liking: If I read this book as a wee little 7 year old boy who was begging to wear my brother's clothes and cutting my hair whenever me and the dreaded safety scissors were left alone, maybe I could've expressed my feelings better lol

Anyway this was really cute <33

[Abby Johnson]

Much needed Black trans representation!

[Erin Johnnie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pushing an agenda on kids.
Sexualizing children instead of telling them that they are perfect the way they are.

[Eva B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute nonfiction story about a young trans boy coming out! I loved the scene with his grandparents, it was so sweet!

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a strong, confident, positive tone in this book (that Ted Cruz and Ron DeSantis would hate). Young Penelope knows he is a boy inside, and not just another sister in the family. Grandpa, Mom, Dad, and the Principal at school all accept and keep moving forward. An older brother asks some questions, but his parents remind him that love will bring answers.

This fairly short book with easy words and nice pictures keep the intended kid-readers engaged easily. The happiness of Penelope being allowed to wear boy clothes, and express his ninja attitude and love for things thought to be boy-territory brings big smiles.

Easy to give 5* to this positive book.

[Oshin Agarwal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why don't they read these in school? It would do good for everyone.

[Ben Truong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Born Ready: The True Story of a Boy Named Penelope is a children's picture book written by Jodie Patterson and illustrated by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow. It a Black transgender boy shares his identity and competes in a karate tournament with the encouragement of his family in this picture-book biography.

Patterson's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. Told in the first-person, the narrative follows Penelope, who knew that he was a boy, despite the world’s perception. Barlow's illustrations, created digitally with handmade watercolor textures, emphasize the Black family's expressions and movement, allowing young readers to take in the family's emotions.

The premise of the book is rather straightforward. The narrative follows Penelope, who knows that he's a ninja, and knows what he likes. Initially, he acts out to get his busy family to pay attention, before he confides something else he knows to his mother – that he didn't feel like a boy but he is a boy.

All in all, Born Ready: The True Story of a Boy Named Penelope is a triumphant declaration of love and identity.

[Kari · Rating 5 out of 5]

As we constantly build our library collection to add important topics - we need more books like, Born Ready and Jack not Jackie et al. These books help young readers see themselves in books and their classmates understand differences are a-ok - - but mostly - - I think powerful picture books are really helpful for adults who did not grow up with the knowledge or the exposure to different gender, sexual, and other ways of self-identifying - it just wasn't common language. Portland kids are so on-board or indifferent because they have grown up with open messaging. So glad books like this are not challenged here and the kids are eager to read them.

[QNPoohBear · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good one about a gender non-conforming boy. In Penelope's head he's a ninja warrior, unafraid of everything. In real life, he presents as a girl and everyone is too busy to notice he's a boy. Penelope KNOWS he's a boy. He IS a boy in his head but how to make everyone else see? Mama and Daddy readily accept Penelope's gender identity but Big Brother doesn't quite get it. The first person they tell about Penelope's gender is a grandfather from Ghana. He says in his language of Tiwi, they don't use gender pronouns. Everyone accepts Penelope's identity. Penelope is confident in who he is.

The story seems to take place in a community of people from Ghana. School kids wear uniforms, pants for boys and skirts for girls.

The author based the story on their own experiences with gender nonconformist children.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to be honest...this was not on my radar at all until I saw a post suggesting that promoting this in Kindergarten is evil. So I gave it a read and I thought it was lovely. The illustrations are nice...I love how they give you a view inside Penelope's head. I love the open communication with the mom and family and then how that extends to support with other people in the child's life. It's all led by the child...nothing extreme or anything forced on him...everyone just supports Penelope loving authentically as himself. All very appropriate for the intended age group.

It wasn't the best picture book I've ever read...it's not one I would see myself reading over and over again or really even thinking about much. But it's lovely and I would read it again and would recommend it.

[Aimée · Rating 5 out of 5]

Untertitel: The true story of a boy named Penelope. Penelope ist ein Mädchen, aber sie fühlt sich nicht wohl in ihrer Haut. Immer denkt sie an sich selbst als Junge, doch zwischen zwei Geschwistern und zwei beschäftigten Eltern hört ihr keiner zu. Eines Tages erzählt sie ihrer Mutter, dass sie ein Junge ist und gemeinsam bringen sie es allen bei. Süß und die Illustrationen total putzig. Wie er sich auf dem Cover selbst umarmt, total niedlich.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this book and immediately gave it to my Mom to read. I'm not sure why I'm not giving it a 5 star. I will reread and re-post and see what I think. It's a delightful foray into what could be a horrible time for a child. If you want to do it right, this is the guide book for you!

[Jade Bollam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful celebration of a young boy who is encased in love and support. It’s the perfect read for young children regardless of gender identity or previous exposure to LGBTQ+ identity and culture.

[Katelynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome positive message about a trans child! I would have loved backmatter because I know this is nonfiction but it reads as a fiction picture book. But overall, very good.

[Jeimy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An ode to a family’s journey to accept and support their 5-year-old son, Penelope.

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartwarming. Joyful.

[Jennifer Ingle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent kids book about a transgender boy 💖

[Ben Lilley · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was cute for a real story. There were some wonderful moments of pure emotion and there was also some concerning masculinity gatekeeping, but because it was a true story that made a lot of sense. Not all part of our lives are picture perfect.

[Elizabeth]

I was pretty meh on this book (like Calvin , it's about a Black trans boy with a supportive community, which is important, but I don't feel like it has anything that particularly sets it apart), but Mombian has a glowing review which has some merit to it.

She wites:

I love this book. Maybe it’s that Penelope’s personality shines through on every page, both in the text and in the illustrations by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow, which give him just the right amount of little-kid swagger and put a sparkle in his eyes. Maybe it’s that Penelope’s karate training gives the story a plotline other than just his coming out, making him feel more well-rounded than the protagonists of some picture books about trans children. Maybe it’s the lack of preachiness in the text, or the loving support of family and friends.

Maybe, too, it’s that there are no White people here. The few background characters who aren’t Black read as other people of color. I say this as a White person myself; there are enough LGBTQ-inclusive picture books with White protagonists and largely White supporting casts. The genre needs more books by and about people of color, and we White folks don’t necessarily need to be in them. Additionally, the characters here aren’t just Black, but take visible pride in Black culture and heritage, not only through the reference to Ghana and Harlem, but also through visual touches like a map of Africa in Penelope’s room, a Ghanaian flag on the family fridge, and African masks in the school principal’s office. Our identities are intersectional, and Patterson and Barlow convey that seamlessly.

The book also gets bonus points for the subtle touch of the endpapers: in the ones at the front of the book, we see sketches of Penelope still in girl’s clothing, looking nervous and shaky as he tries tricks on his skateboard; in the ones at the end of the book, he is wearing boy’s clothes and looking cool and confident as he nails his skateboard moves.

Finally, as more and more states are enacting bans on trans youth in sports, this story serves as a timely reminder of the power that sports have to instill life lessons, like dedication and perseverance, that can benefit all youth. Trans youth have the right to access these lessons by engaging in sports as their authentic selves.

All of these elements form a winning combination by Patterson, a writer, entrepreneur, and activist who is chair of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. Her 2019 memoir for adults, on which she based the story of Born Ready, is The Bold World: A Memoir of Family and Transformation, and also highly recommended. Families with trans boys should especially appreciate Born Ready and its determined protagonist, but it also feels like the kind of engaging story that just may help cisgender children and their parents better understand what it means to be trans. It’s strong and with an impact you might not see coming—kind of like a ninja.

One further note: In an interview with New York Family last week, Patterson noted that while her son initially wanted to keep the name “Penelope,”  he is now in eighth grade and about two months ago decided to go by “Penel.” The book was already in production then. I have used “Penelope” above in talking about the character in the book, since that is the name used there, but would of course use “Penel” in talking about the real boy.

[This review was April 29, 2021, and the New York Family interview was published April 20, 2021.]

+

I hadn't thought about the "trans kids in sports" angle, but the book also doesn't lift up anything about that angle.

When I first saw the book, I noted that the subtitle of the book begins, "A True Story," but there is literally no front- or backmatter about the author's own lived experience -- why she wrote the book, resources, etc. Her PenguinRandomHouse bio says, "Jodie Patterson is a social activist, entrepreneur, and writer. [...] She sits on the board of a number of gender/family/human rights organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign" Which made it even more strange to me that she didn't include any resources for parents, educators, activists, anything.

In the New York Family article, Patterson says:

A lot of times people say that it couldn’t have been that easy. They say: tell us the real story. This is not how I wanted it to be; this is how it actually went down. I wrote this book with my children. I want people to understand that this is not only how it could happen for other people — there can be triumphant stories within queer Black families — but this is how it actually did happen. So many times, queer people are made to “prove” their realities. Being in the numerical minority, as Black people and trans people in America, we are asked over and over to prove our truths. With the title of my children’s book, I wanted to set the record straight, from the beginning: Penel is true, we are true, our reality is true. The title was actually an afterthought: “Born Ready” was always there, but we added in that line, “The True Story of a Boy Named Penelope”, because you have to remind people of what is true.

That feels to me like it would have been really valuable to name. I didn't even realize Patterson was Black when I read the book (there's no author photo; and while the subtitle says "True Story," I didn't know how much -- since, for example, My Sister, Daisy draws heavily on the author's real life experience, but the illustrator intentionally made the family in the book multi-racial while the real life family is white).

+

As a sidebar about Penelope's name: In the book, one of Penelope's friends calls him "Pen," and he asks to be called by his full name instead. The friend agrees, but then for the rest of the book, everyone calls Penelope "P." (or "Lil P," which his karate instructor calls him), which seems to undermine that moment. Like, it's fine if Penelope is okay with certain nicknames but not others, but he literally says, "I like my full name, please---Penelope." I feel like an editor should have caught this.

In the New York Family interview, Patterson says:

We named him after his grandmother, and when he first told me he was a boy, I asked him if he wanted to change his name. He looked at me like I was crazy, and I stumbled and said “well, maybe you want to choose a more boy name” (still stuck in this idea that there are boy names and girl names). Penel said that he would never want to do that because he loves his grandmother. But now that he’s in eighth grade, he wanted to change his name to Penel. I’ve heard arguments like, what if the child doesn’t know what they really want, what if the child changes their mind, what if this is not the last point on the journey? More than likely, this is NOT the last point on the journey. I hope that my child shifts and changes from 5 to 95, and we will shift with him.

I recognize that this shift likely happened too late to make edits to the book, but there could have at least been some backmatter in the book saying some more words about Penelope's choice to keep his birth name -- reminding readers that names (like toys, clothes, etc.) don't "have" gender, and while some trans people prefer to choose a name that people are likely to interpret as implying a particular gender, other trans people choose to retain their birth name. (Ideally there would be a mention that people also often change their mind as time goes on, possibly likening it to nicknames -- since trans people aren't the only ones who change their names.)

+

There are a few other somewhat jarring moments.

(1)

After Mama tells the family at Penelope's 5th birthday party, Papa says, "Well, P., if you want me to call you a boy, you'll have to tell me yourself." We next read:

I stand up tall. "I am a boy."

So I think we're supposed to read it as Papa giving him an opportunity to practice naming his truth, but it felt to me like, "Your Mama told me what you told her, but I'm not gonna respect that until you tell me yourself," especially since it came right after (on the facing page!) Penelope's older brother asserting that Penelope's declaration to Mama doesn't make sense, that you can't change the gender you're born as, so I was primed for more pushback.

When I came out to my mom as queer/bisexual at age 17, it took me forever even though I knew she would be supportive -- and I gratefully took her up on her offer to tell my dad, even though I knew he would also be supportive. And Penelope is only 5 in this story! Give your kids a break!

(2)

When Penelope meets with the school principal (she wants to check in with him), she says, "Well, Penelope . . . today you're my teacher!" I wasn't really clear what she was getting at. She already knows (and seems accepting of) that Penelope is a boy, and Penelope doesn't really give her much new information.

The full text:

Principal asks to see me.

"Penelope, I heard your classmates were asking about your uniform," she says. "Were you embarrassed?"

I want to tell Principal that ninjas don't get embarrassed---we "get busy." But I just shake my head no.

"Your parents told me you are a boy. Is that true?"

"I think like a boy. I feel like a boy. I might look different from other boys, but yes, I'm sure I'm a boy."

"Well, Penelope . . . today you're my teacher!"

I get that it's supposed to indicate that adults, even adults in positions of authority, don't know everything and that kids are the experts on themselves and that adults can learn from children -- but it just felt clunky. Like, the writing in this book is just not great.

(I also have some feelings about Ghanaian Grandpa G's response to Penelope's gender being, "Ah! Chale! In my language of Twi, gender isn't such a big deal. We don't use gender pronouns." Like, I read that as Grandpa G trying to be supportive but ultimately undermining -- a sort of "I don't see color" reaction, since languages that don't have gendered pronouns almost certainly do have ways to indicate gender, and the people who speak those languages do have conceptions of gender that matter to them. I do appreciate textual representation of African support for trans folks, since ~progressive white folks in the USA love to talk about how backwards Black folks are about queerness, how terrible a place Africa is to be queer, etc. -- as if that homophobia and transphobia isn't the fault of white Christians, and as if white folks in the USA are so much better. But again, clunky, not well-written.)

+

The author blurb on the back jacket of the book says of Patterson, "She is the mother of five children, two of whom are self-proclaimed gender nonconfirmists--one transgender and another genderqueer," which made me super-curious about which kid is genderqueer, since in the book, Penelope refers to his siblings as Big Brother, Big Sister, and Baby -- two of which terms are very gendered. (The April 20, 2021, New York Family piece does not say anything about Patterson's other kids -- other than to note that Penelope's older brother still struggles with the idea of someone being a gender other than the one they were assigned at birth.)

[Alexsi Barashkoff]

I thought that Born Ready: The True Story of a Boy Named Penelope, was an amazing representation of a transgender child, and the best part is that it is a true story! This book does a great job of showing the process and the steps that a parent can take to help their child transition and to accept who they are. It is realistic and honest and tells the story from both a parents and child's point of view. There is no stereotyping as this boy's story is unique to him and shows what his story was like in coming out as a child. I noticed how well the mother handled the news and was extremely helpful and supportive, I feel like this is a great book for both parents and children!

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Penelope is a loveable character who can't understand why people treat him like a girl. This is a true story told by Penelope's mother, and I liked this book much more than I expected! It's on my favorite's list. I encourage you to read it.

[Sabrina MacKerell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This title is based on a true story about a young child named Penelope who grows up feeling different from the other girls around him. He knows from an early age that he is a boy, but the world around him initially sees him as a girl. As Penelope’s family supports him in his transition, he begins to express his true self.
Jodie Patterson uses warm and uplifting, yet straightforward writing in order to connect with young readers. Readers are able to connect with the emotional depth of the story through the protagonists’ journey, while understanding more about gender identity through the simple sentences.
The use of bright, warm colors in the illustrations bring a confident and optimistic mood to the story. This complements the journey of Penelope’s growing confidence and the support he receives from his family. We can see Penelope’s inner strength in the illustrations as he is seen as larger and in the center of the page. Along these lines, Penelope is drawn in power poses.
This book would be suitable for primary grades, as it is written in a simple way, yet touches on important themes. These themes include gender identity, self expression, and self love. It also touches on the importance of support from your inner circle and community. In the classroom, teachers could focus on Penelope’s journey and the character traits that represent him. Students could also find ways to express themselves after reading the book through writing or a creative project. Students could decide how they want to share their identities with the class - through a collage, a poem, a personal narrative, etc.
I found this book from the LGBTQ+ Wakelet and it is a Notable Books for Global Society. I read an e-book version on Libby.

[Charlie Orlando Leppert · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sensitive, affirming look at how a supportive environment can help transgender children blossom socially and grow up healthy and happy. I was already familiar with this family's story, and it's wonderful to see it told so well for children.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Books for providing me with a free digital galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Earl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adapted from the adult memoir The Bold World, this picture book tells the story of Jodie Patterson's child letting others know who he really is- a boy named Penelope. While a difficult subject to broach, Penelope knows that he's no ordinary kid and with his ninja-like skills- and the help of his mom, he's confident he can show he was born ready to be who he truly is!

[Genesee Rickel]

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

Suggested for ages 0 - 8. This is a biography of Penelope, Patterson's son. First introduced to readers in Patterson's memoir, "The Bold World," readers can now read Penelope's coming out story. Penelope's multicultural family welcomes him with open arms, encouraging him to be his full, true self.

[Ms. Judy · Rating 1 out of 5]

How can a child understand what transgender is so young? They have beautiful imaginations. Why not let her just play instead of making a child's fantasy reality. The prefrontal cortex of the brain does not fully develop until the ages of 25/26, but patents are making life-altering decisions for a child who can't even comprehend how this will affect the child's mental well-being in the long-term.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so happy to read more trans children's stories and this is the story of Penelope a young trans boy. At five years old he is exhibiting behaviors of anger and finally gets asked why. He wants to be seen as a boy. And with his parents on board, he transitions.

A cute little story about a young trans kid just living through childhood.