One of the only things my 3 kids have in common is their love for RuPaul's Drag Race. It unites them as they discuss the outfits, the relationships between the queens and the unjustness of some of the dismissals on the show. This Little People, Big Dreams book is really cute. I adored the pictures and it is satisfying to read. Just the right amount of information for a little fan of the show and a great way of introducing children to the diversity in society. It's super cute and is a great format. Just right.

Who doesn't love a little bit of RuPaul? I was so glad to see RuPaul getting their turn in the Little People, BIG DREAMS universe. Everyone has been getting their own book, so it was no surprise to see this fabulous individual shine.

I'll be honest, I didn't like the illustration style again with this one. It made it feel really childish and not in a good way. It didn't look professional or as stylistic that a book for RuPaul could get. For someone who's big in art, fashion and beauty, this book just seemed... lacking.

The biography is the best part of this book. I wanted to learn more about RuPaul and I got a solid background. Ru's life is an interesting one, and an important story to tell. Ru is a fabulous individual who makes waves.

Two out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

I love this series and have bought the entire collection for our library and I was excited to see this new book about RuPaul. The story felt disjointed to me -- it left me feeling like it didn't give me the full story. It just didn't flow. The illustrations also felt....'off.' I don't know if there is still editing to do, but this book doesn't feel complete to me.

4★
“When little Ru was about to be born, a fortune-teller told his mom that her son would one day be famous. Growing up in San Diego, with his mother and three sisters, it was only a matter of time before he figured out how…”

My Goodreads review includes an illustration with the caption:
Cover picture of RuPaul as he saw himself

Ru was never someone who was going to blend in with the crowd, especially at school. It was one of his sisters who taught him that anyone can create magic if they try.

My Goodreads review includes an illustration with the caption:
“his sister Renetta laid out a blanket in the backyard, took out some cookies from a paper bag and asked him to enjoy the most fabulous picnic.”

So what if they were only cookies? Ru got the idea. He loved playing dress-ups and making his own magic, and although he never fit in, his mother taught him to be true to himself. He quit school and went to study performing arts in Atlanta.

My Goodreads review includes an illustration with the caption:
“Playing with his first punk band, he mixed a prom dress with army boots on stage. Everyone wondered if he was a boy or a girl.”

What he was, was RuPaul, but nobody knew that yet. He continued his colourful ways, moved to New York, wore wigs and high heels, and was having a lot of fun.

My Goodreads review includes an illustration with the caption:
“On and offstage, Ru had found his true groove! She felt as comfortable in high heels… … as he did wearing his favorite pair of slippers.
It was time to share his joy and meet someone special: his husband Georges.”

[Note the subtle change from she to his, as he moves from one persona to the other.]

He walked the catwalk as a model in dresses and big wigs and released a famous song. He even performed with his idol, Diana Ross.

My Goodreads review includes an illustration with the caption:
Ru and Diana Ross

He went on to found his famous show to find the next drag superstar, and people everywhere are inspired now to show us who they are, to love themselves, and to love life.

My Goodreads review includes an illustration with the caption:
“By sharing with the world the beauty of drag, little Ru gave us valuable tips to make the most out of life: ‘Don’t ever think we are born just to fit in a box, we are born to stand out.’”

This is a great little series of books about people who are beautifully shaped pegs who don’t happen to fit into the usual holes we have boringly bored in society. They often have a hard time in childhood, when kids are trying so very hard to fit in, but they are the people who bring us the colour and joy when they blossom.

As always, there are some real photos and a short biography at the end, along with suggestions for other reference material if you want to follow up.

This is a very bright, cartoonish offering, and I found it a little hard to know which stylised character was Ru on some pages, but the overall impression is certainly that the wilder the colours and patterns, the better!

Thanks again to NetGalley and Quarto’s Frances Lincoln Children’s Books for the preview copy from which I’ve shared a few illustrations to encourage readers to try this series!

A book to shop children an important icon's history or more importantly herstory.
Children of today need to know their lgbtq plus history and this book seems perfect for this.
I know the book aims to show the positives but it does not talk about many of the adversities RU had to faces as she was both black and gay and on top of that she was a drag queen.
However, the inclusion of the timeline at the end of this book can important for some lateral thinking children who may not link cartoons with non-fiction people.
During Pride I would especially read this to my class as the pictures are representative of all of the LGBTQ plus identities as well as the majority of cultural identities.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

First and foremost, I loved the illustrations and vibrant colors used throughout this biographical children's book. They're so fun, and they really compliment RuPaul's story. The representation in this book is wonderful, and I thought the author did a great job summarizing RuPaul's life and impact thus far. This would be a great book to read and kickstart dialogue to help young people of all ages to learn and acknowledge their desires to be their own unique selves.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this ARC.

In this book of the Little People Big Dreams series, we meet RuPaul. This book is a brief biography in simple language for children. It tells of how RuPaul felt differently from other children and was encouraged by his mother tone himself and express himself. RuPaul is an inspiration to children to be inclusive of everyone.

As an educator, I would recommend this book for school or classroom library in elementary.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Aww we loved this book, we love the series they are so fabulous.
Ru Paul is such an inspiration and a joy to read.
Thankyou so much for this opportunity.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book that I have read from the Little People, Big Dreams series and I really loved it. I thought the pictures were bright and vibrant, just like RuPaul himself, and the story of his life was told succinctly and in simple terms that younger kids can understand. I also thought the timeline at the end was an excellent addition, as well as the real photos of RuPaul. The only thing I feel might be missing is a glossary. While a glossary is not typical in biographies, there are some terms like "drag queen" with which children might not be familiar. If some of those terms had been explained, this would have been five stars for sure.

Not only is it a great book about who RuPaul is but it's also a great message need to, and should, hear. It's inspirational in everyway possible.

I really miss reading this children's book series so when I saw that there are new available addition to the series, I immediately grab the chance to check it out. As an adult, I have to admit that I'm not that quite familiar with RuPaul's life story, but I heard about his show RuPaul's Drag Race. I love how this book showcased how strong-willed he is and embraced who really is. A great read that will teach young readers a lot from self-love, diversity, determination up to helping others also to achieve their dreams.

I received an electronic ARC from Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books through NetGalley.
An empowering biography for young readers. They meet RuPaul as a child and see their journey as someone who had to struggle to find where they fit in life. The brightly colored illustrations capture RuPaul's personality and help readers see his style and how he got to this point in his life. The timeline at the end of the book provides more information for further research.
Another terrific book in this series by Sanchez Vegara.

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Rupaul is one of the latest additions to the amazing Little People Big Dreams series by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara.
I live Rupaul and have always been in awe of him! This book is a great addition to this series and teaches children to dare to be different, stand up and be who they want to be, embrace who they are and not be ashamed of this either.
These books are truly inspirational and diverse child friendly biographies for children, full of lovely illustrations and bright engaging colours.

What a beautiful book and empowering story. This book would be a great way to start conversations with children about lifestyles that don’t fit the mold but are still fulfilling and beautiful. The style of the illustrations fit perfectly with the story, and made this a true delight to read.

I love this series – I've read at least half of them, and they rarely disappoint. I'll certainly be adding this to my little ones' LGBTQ+ reading shelf, and I'd advise all parents/aunts/uncles/friends to do the same!

Thank you Little People, BIG DREAMS series for sharing Ru Paul's story. Ru Paul is awesome and has done so many things for the LGBTQ+ communities. I hope everyone reads this book and i puts the same smile on their face as it did on mine.

Keep these books coming!

A great beginner bio on RuPaul. I love that it's aimed at younger kids, because representation matters. I also like that it shows how he felt from a young age, because so many people try to say that isn't possible.

I wish it spoke a little more about his struggles and how he overcame them, but I guess since it's geared towards younger kids they had to pick and choose and keep it simple and light.

I definitely would recommend this book to anyone with littles, at the very least it may encourage compassion for those who aren't the same as we are.

It's no secret that I love the books in this series, and the RuPaul installation may be my favorite yet! The illustrations are fun and the story is simple, yet powerful. It would be a great read for parents and children during Pride Month.

This sweet little book is a good introduction to the life of RuPaul. Illustrated with beautiful colors it is fun to view and the text is nice for whoever does the reading. We love these big dreams books and this is a great addition.

The publisher provided the ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The ‘My First Little People, Big Dreams’ series provides informative and inspirational biographies about people who left a mark on this earth, no matter what difficulties they have encountered.
These stories are concise, but that’s because they’re books for children, so it’s totally understandable.
I think they are a brilliant and wonderful way to introduce little children to such important figures.
This one is about the Incredible RuPaul, very famous now thanks to RuPaul's Drag Race show. His message is a significant one, which is to express ourselves, always.