Hidden Gem

PreS-Gr 1–Liu’s debut picture book introduces readers to a basic gray rock with green undertones who is happy just being a rock. No gender necessary, this rock narrates likes and dislikes. “I rock and I roll and I tumble.” After reading about the most beautiful gem in the world, self doubt sets in for the rock, who goes to the museum to view the precious stone. “Is the me that I see the best I can be?” What transpires in Liu’s iridescent illustrations is a journey to the heart of identity, all within a museum’s stroll. The narrator sees shinier stones, and gemlike pieces, but catching a glimpse of a reflection, understands the truth. “I found myself and now I see...that being special is being me!” Liu has created a delightful, reflective, rhyming, and engaging book for emerging readers. Her illustrations at first glance look simple, but are unassumingly detailed with social justice, racial, and gender identity connections that allow parents and teachers to talk about inclusion, tolerance, and acceptance within the context of the story, that can easily transfer to daily life and interactions.