Call Me Tree / Llamame Arbol by Maya Christina Gonzalez

• Plot Summary: In this spare, lyrically written story, we join a child on a journey of self-discovery. Finding a way to grow from the inside out, just like a tree, the child develops as an individual comfortable in the natural world and in relationships with others. The child begins Within / The deep dark earth, like a seed, ready to grow and then dream and reach out to the world. Soon the child discovers birds and the sky and other children: Trees and trees / Just like me! Each is different too. The child embraces them all because All trees have roots/ All trees belong. Maya Christina Gonzalez once again combines her talents as an artist and a storyteller to craft a gentle, empowering story about belonging, connecting with nature, and becoming your fullest self. Young readers will be inspired to dream and reach, reach and dream . . . and to be as free and unique as trees.

• Youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qA3BS_tPtwE

• This is a very sweet, bilingual story about embracing all sorts of people. The story uses the metaphor of trees to represent diversity. This didn’t really have anything to do with LGBTQ specifically, only implicitly by including all people. But, you could easily use this book as a conversation starter about the different types of people (LGBTQ, disabled, mixed race, immigrant, everyone) out there--and what kind of trees they might make--that are valid and living life as themselves.