A sensitive Black boy struggles in a world where toxic masculinity is embedded. How can Aaron express emotions when he's admonished to "Man up?"
This engaging picture book centering Black boys explores the damaging effects of toxic masculinity in our culture and how it affects empathetic children. We meet young Aaron who is outgoing and funny and a whiz at kickball. He's also compassionate and kind-hearted, spending time reading books to seniors at the nursing home down the street. He's a great kid, but he's got a problem: everyone calls him a crybaby. When his friends cheat at Forknife, he cries out of anger. When he sees his friend Tayshawn hurt a neighborhood dog, he cries out of empathy. And when he misses his oldest brother, Sage, who's away at college, he cries out of loneliness. His dad, his friends, and his classmates tell him to "Leave that crying for the girls." How can Aaron learn to value his feelings and nurture his sensitivity in a world telling him to "Man up"?