A Song for Nolan

Wearing a carefully chosen outfit (suspenders and a feather boa), brown-skinned, pink-haired Nolan, who is nonbinary, arrives at a friend’s skating-rink birthday party. Following an incident of misgendering, getting stuck on the rink during a binary “boys’?” skate session interrupts Nolan’s carefree dance under the colorful lights, and leads to a tumble and feelings of distress (“DO I EVEN BELONG HERE?!”). But Nolan makes a request to the DJ that both saves the day and results in an invite for everyone to skate. Chen’s thin-lined, saturated artwork is an ideal partner to Ellenwood’s characterization in this uplifting tale about making room for oneself-and all. Background characters are portrayed with various abilities, body types, and skin tones. * Publisher’s Weekly *Chen’s vibrant, jewel-toned illustrations capture the chaotic sensory environment of the roller rink … A useful reminder about the importance of inclusion for anyone planning group events. * School Library Journal *

Rushie Ellenwood (she/they) has worked in copywriting and screenwriting, but nothing has brought them more joy than writing for kids–particularly those who feel unseen. When Rushie isn’t writing or trying to make somebody laugh, they can be found roller skating at Oaks Park, shooting hoops with her kids, or walking their dog around Mount Tabor, which is a dormant volcano near her house in rainy Portland, Oregon. This is their first book, inspired by a true story.