Becoming Charley by Kelly DiPucchio

Abstract

Reviewed by: Becoming Charley by Kelly DiPucchio Natalie Berglind DiPucchio, Kelly Becoming Charley; illus. by Loveis Wise. Knopf, 2023 [40p] Library ed. ISBN 9780593429051 $21.99 Trade ed. ISBN 9780593429044 $18.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780593429068 $10.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R 4-7 yrs Charley is different from the other caterpillars—the little critter tends to look up instead of down, doesn't pay attention to the butterfly elders, and finds it hard to stick to the mantras that will turn Charley into a monarch butterfly: "Think black. Think orange. Think black. Think orange" and "This. Not that!" True to character, when it's chrysalis time, Charley thinks of the things that Charley enjoys rather than the things the elders taught. As the other butterflies emerge from their cocoons, Charley stays cooped up longer than anyone else until finally coming out with wings full of hearts, plants, clouds, and blues and purples, "everything Charley had ever loved." While messages about defying conformity abound in youth literature, Charley's specific experience is a worthy addition, giving a tender representation of being told to be a certain way and yet feeling different and yearning for something else. Neurodivergent kids instructed to act like neurotypical kids will see themselves in Charley, as will kids of color asked to assimilate to their white classmates, or queer kids raised in a heteronormative world. Wise's digital art is playful and gentle, with stamp-like shapes and stunning pops of color energizing the natural scenes of Charley's chrysalis, the starry milkweed, and the curling tendrils of a waterfall. Storytimes with queer-friendly themes of acceptance will want to woo their audiences with DiPucchios's latest contribution. [End Page 288] Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois