I'm Fabulous Crab

Henry doesn't like being just another drab crab. Even though the other hermit crabs insist that there's a reason why they wear dull shells, he can't find happiness that way, so he reinvents himself as Fabulous Crab, and proceeds to decorate his shell with colorful, shiny objects both natural and man-made. And then just when it looks like the other crabs were right...Fabulous Crab turns out to have invented a whole new form of keeping safe!

While this could easily be framed as an LGBTQIA+ book, that's not the only message here. The story is much more about teaching kids that they don't have to be afraid to be themselves, and if they want to wear sparkles or bright colors, that's absolutely okay, regardless of gender identity. There's nothing to suggest that Fab Crab doesn't feel like a boy; he just really likes bling, and the other crabs are only worried that his style will get him eaten by predators. When that proves not to be the case, the other crabs realize that there's another way to be than their old-fashioned norm. It's affirming and fun, and the rhyme scheme is a delight.

Yes, you could view this as being about nontraditional gender expression. It may even be intentional. But the strength of this picture book is in the way it shows how Fabulous Crab learns to stand up and say what he likes and how he wants to dress - no matter what other people have to say about his fashion choices.