"Then I realize my bangs
are upside down, too,
and she must have seen Toto.
I wonder how Toto looks to Niko.
Does Toto look strange?
Does Toto look ugly?"
The sweet girl who narrates this story is very conscious of the birthmark on her forehead. She wonders what she might look like without it. Her family is supportive and offers ideas to help her worry less. She has given her birthmark a name - Toto. When strangers notice Toto before really seeing her, she is embarrassed by their attention.
With attendance at school on the horizon, Mom cuts her hair in a way that makes Toto less noticeable to others. The child continues to have some reservations. Meeting a girl with best-friend potential opens her heart to new shared experiences. The two spend all their time together.
"Her name is Niko.
She thinks I'm hilarious!
I think she is too.
We love the same books!
We both love seaweed!"
It isn't until they are hanging upside-down together on the playground that Niko even notices Toto. Niko's reaction is PERFECT!
Filled with expressive faces that show real emotion, this heartwarming story encourages discussion focused on friendship, empathy, insecurity and acceptance, and identity. Art using pencils, colored pencils, and watercolor is filled with warmth, while also making Toto prominent in full pink color at many points in the story. Toto is part of who the child is, but does not define her in any way. Unless - it is to make her 'extraordinary'!
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