Mieko is Dancing

A fresh take on expanding the category of girlhood […] In the drawings from dance practice, illustrator Skinkeape shows a wonderful variety of kids. Despite the simple lines, the figures’ expressions are nuanced, underlining the fact that all personalities are unique.

Mieko dancing is a bubbly, expressive picture book about loving to dance and becoming confident in oneself.

Mieko dancing offers the important message of being true to oneself. The author shows us how children are affected by gender roles and norms without stating it out loud. Miyata-Jancey writes well about how identity is formed in contact with other people, and how children learn and react to subtle norms. This content is reflected in the book’s atmosphere, illustrator Skinkeape is a master of childrens’ books’ illustration.

Light-footed about expanding gender roles and not always dancing to someone else’s tune.

Mieko dancing is a story about identity and one’s understanding of one’s own gender. It pulls at the threads of prejudiced stereotypes and shows the youngest ones that everyone doesn’t have to fit into a traditional framework. […] But first and foremost, this is a story about being allowed to be oneself, well worded by first-time author Mariko Miyata-Jancey, illustrated with freshness and sensitivity by the more experienced illustrator Skinkeape (alias Marianne Gretteberg Engedal).