While building a backyard ice rink together with their dad, as is their annual tradition, a kid has a burning question to ask: “Do you ever feel mixed up about who you are?” 

Missing the point, the dad muses about his past aspirations to become an astronaut. “That’s not what I meant,” thinks the kid. 

They feel left out. They were not invited to their best friend’s sleepover because they are not, in the eyes of others, a girl. They desperately need to be understood for who they are and called by their chosen name, Gray. But how do they explain these changes to the person they love most?

Call Me Gray is a valuable addition to the growing cache of early-readers books that explore themes of self-acceptance, family relationships, and gender-non conforming identities. What makes this book a stand-out is the masterful narrative pacing. The storyline is driven by Gray’s self-discovery. Yet the father’s journey is given the space it deserves too. 

Simple yet beautiful illustrations by Tallulah Fontaine set the right tone, grounding the reader in each moment, from the crisp crunch of snow underfoot on a winter’s night to the soft embrace of steam from a hot cup of cacao.

With patience, affirmation, and affection, the bond between father and child grows stronger. This is a relationship that can celebrate their traditions, like building an ice rink, and also embrace change. In an increasingly intolerant world, Call Me Gray is a hopeful tale and a highly readable resource on gender transitions, empathy, and the power of communication.mRb