18 Jan Review: Everybelly
Everybelly
Written and illustrated by: Thao Lam
Groundwood Books, 2025
ISBN: 9781773067643 (hardcover)
9781773067650 (EPUB)
9781773067667 (Kindle)
$21.99 CAD (hardcover)
$16.99 CAD (eBook)
40 pages
Ages: 3 to 6 years old
Review by: Cassandra Ricafort
A child goes to the pool with their mother and encounters a world of bellies. Behind every interesting belly is an even more interesting story. Big, small, round, flat, textured, smooth–all types of bodies and people are illustrated in this lovely picture book by Toronto-based author/illustrator Thao Lam. The spirited illustrations are collages created using different coloured and textured paper. The collages really help to emphasize the different colours and textures bodies have. Everybelly would serve well in an SEL (social–emotional learning) unit on inclusivity and body positivity in the classroom. In a world where children are constantly bombarded with societal expectations and unrealistic beauty standards in the media, this book can help young children see that not only is every body beautiful, there is so much more to the people who have these bodies than their appearance. Due to the amount of text, Everybelly would be better suited for children a little older than the recommended age range of 3 to 6 years old–perhaps for children around age 4 or 5. Everybelly would be a fantastic addition to public, school, and home libraries alike.