I AM ME: A rhyming book about being autistic and biracial

I AM ME does something quietly rare: it holds two identity threads — being autistic and being biracial — in the same small hands without dropping either one. Most books in this space pick a lane. Felicia Kenny insists both lanes belong to Jared, and that insistence is the heart of the book.

The thematic payoff arrives most fully on page 17, where Kenny writes: "I am autistic and biracial, two pretty neat combinations. My unique situation can help the general population gain a little education about not making negative associations about God's creations." It's a lot of freight for a picture book, and she lands it with a warmth that never tips into lecture. The tone throughout stays rooted in Jared's self-possession — "I get to see the world in a different way" is framed as gift, not apology.

What earns the Originality nod is the specificity of the combination itself. There are autism picture books. There are biracial identity books. A book that treats the intersection as its whole premise — and names it plainly for a child to recognize themselves in — is genuinely uncommon. The dedication to her son Shaugn gives the whole project a lived urgency that shows on every page.

The rhyme scheme is workmanlike rather than musical, and the book is brief even for the form, but brevity is appropriate here: this is a lap-read for young children who tire fast, and every page beat earns its place. The read-aloud rhythm is accessible, and lines like "jumping and laughing, even picking up some germs" have the easy, real-world texture that keeps kids tuned in.