You need to chill! by Juno Dawson and Laura Hughes

Intrigued by the questioning of the classmates, readers will go along with the teasing text as the children keep asking where Bill is. The brother of their classmate has not been seen for a while. Has he gone on holiday, is he hiding, is he ill? The questions keep coming, until Bill’s sister tells her peers that they need to chill. Was he taken by a whale or shark and munched up like krill, the questions keep coming, until again she says, ‘hun, you need to chill.’

This questioning and answer technique is used for most of the book, the sister keeping on telling people that they must chill. Reading the story out loud will see kids joining in with the refrain, ‘hun you need to chill’, while asking themselves what they think has happened to Bill and thinking about why the class is so interested.

The funny questions keep on coming: is he playing in the pool or on the pitch, is he at the fair, has he been kidnapped by aliens, is he on Mars.  Their concern is represented through their questions, they are worried that he needs to take a pill, until his sister cannot say anything but what has happened. Her brother Bill is now her sister, Lilly.

This unexpected climax will present a different family to the reader. The transgender member of the family is accepted and part of the family just as he always was. The pages are replete with love and inclusivity and caring, as the sisters hug each other, the class looking on with huge smiles, their questions answered and satisfaction abounds. The next day they walk to school hand in hand, the classmates just as accepting as the day before, but in case some have a problem, then the refrain, ‘hun, you need to chill’ is given another outing.

A wonderful presentation of diversity within the community, children will see a family that is similar to their own, but are a little different. The same things apply: love, support, caring in a gender diverse family as with others, and children are very accepting of this difference.

Subtitled a story about love, the theme is  simply that, and a paragraph about the Mermaids at the end of the book will send many to their website to explore further, and give support to those families where diversity is a part of their lives. Check out mermaidsuk.org.uk

Themes: Transgender, Diversity, Family, Love, Humour.

Fran Knight