Susan Verde is the author of I Am Yoga and other picture books in the I Am... series, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. She also teaches yoga and mindfulness. Steph Littlebird is an Indigenous artist, writer, curator, and a member of Oregon’s Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. She is the illustrator of the picture book My Powerful Hair, written by Carole Lindstrom, and the chapter book The Summer of the Bone Horses, written by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve. We asked Verde and Littlebird to discuss their new picture book, Body Beautiful, a celebration of the human body in all its diverse forms.
Steph Littlebird: Hi, Susan! I was just thinking about how we met on that TLA panel “You Do You, Boo: Helping Kids Embrace Their Authentic Selves” in 2023, on the exact topic our book is about!
Susan Verde: That was very special. We just decided we were going to do this together. We didn’t know what it was going to be yet, but something was pulling us together to do some important work.
Littlebird: I remember you knew my work from Instagram about body image and body positivity as it relates to adults. I hadn’t translated that idea to kids yet. I was so excited to chat with someone who understood how important this message is, not only for adults, but young people.
Verde: The women you draw on social media are so rich and abundant. Their energy was so powerful. I just knew we had to get that kind of feeling into a kids’ book.
You and I have talked about this, but I struggled—and still struggle—with body image, and that has been passed down from generation to generation.
Littlebird: I identify with the idea of intergenerational body image issues. I come from women who didn’t believe they were “good enough” in their bodies. Unfortunately, their feelings about themselves were passed down to me through mirroring. It’s something that I have struggled with my entire life. Every day I get up and commit to the idea of loving myself, even when it’s very difficult. That’s why I started making the work that you saw.
I received so much positive feedback from women and men who said, “Yes, let’s see more of this because we need more of this.” And that let me know the work I was doing was not only going to heal myself, but also help others feel affirmed and feel beautiful. There is something magical in that. When you create work about topics that are hard to talk about, it can help others see themselves through a different medium.
Verde: As I write books for other people, I’m still talking to myself. I think your art gave me permission to have a different conversation with myself. When I had kids, it became very important to try and break the generational cycle. Thankfully, as they’ve gotten older, we have these conversations and they can intellectualize it all. I feel like the cycle was cracked, but not broken. That’s why I found this connection with your work and felt this is a vital message for everyone, but for kids especially.
Littlebird: Statistically speaking, that bears out in all the studies about young people and their exposure to social media. Young girls who are exposed to social media earlier are immediately internalizing negative views about their bodies just by being on the internet.
Verde: Now there’s this realization that something needs to be taught to cultivate a healthy body image. You can’t just energetically pass it on. There are tools that can help kids love themselves and boost self-esteem. They don’t have the ability yet to discern what’s a filter, what’s real, and what’s not. There’s just so much unrealistic expectation in society and I hope we can remove some of that pressure through this book.
Littlebird: The body positive movement has been going on for so long, but it really has been centered on adults trying to undo this negative programming. We need to start much earlier because of how much media kids are exposed to. These values are being passed down in a way that is invisible. You can’t even discern what’s real anymore. Then you see that negative mentality crop up at school, like bullying. Outside of the U.S., schools focus on emotional intelligence and developing the skillset to be a kind and productive community member.
Verde: Also, the body autonomy piece of our book is important. Not only is your body beautiful and amazing—no matter your ability, color, shape, size—but also, it’s yours! You get to decide what’s comfortable and what’s not.
Littlebird: Yes! Kids are one of the last unprotected classes of citizens. They should have a say in what happens to their bodies. We should be teaching kids that they can say no, and teach them to trust their instincts.
Verde: I am so proud about this book and to work with you. Your art put all of that energetic, abundant beauty on every page. So, thank you for that.
Littlebird: Thank you for inviting me to be part of this collaboration. Body Beautiful is so timely and revolutionary in the face of what’s happening in this world. I really hope we can impact kids’ perspectives on themselves in a positive way.
Verde: I’m honored to have your art in Body Beautiful as your first non-Indigenous book. Even with our different backgrounds as Native and non-Native, we felt a genuine love and connection and a shared sensibility.
Littlebird: Yes! We don’t need to have the same cultural backgrounds to share this important value.
Body Beautiful by Susan Verde, illus. by Steph Littlebird. Abrams, $19.99 Sept. 23 ISBN 978-1-4197-7746-2
