‘The One and Only Dylan St. Claire’ Children’s Book by Kamen Edwards and Jeffrey Ebbeler

Even for us adults, managing our emotions when things don't go our way can be difficult, so imagine how tough it must be for kids.

The One and Only Dylan St. Claire is a children's book by actor and writer Kamen Edwards — and illustrated by Jeffrey Ebbeler — that, as he describes on Instagram, is about a “confident, hilarious, fabulous little boy living his best life 100% authentically” who has to figure out how to make lemonade out of lemons when he doesn't get the part he wants in the school play:

Dylan's getting ready to audition for the school play, a musical about outer space, and he's got his sights set on playing the star . . . figuratively and literally. But when he ends up being cast as a squirrel, the real theatrics begin. Follow this extremely secure and unique boy through his daily dramas as he tackles each dilemma with pizzazz and skill.

Giving a fabulous voice to the kind of boys who are under-represented in children's books, Dylan St. Claire confidently walks between "masculine" and "feminine" behavior: He cries openly and expresses his emotions but also cracks jokes and finds his inner strength when the going gets rough. Full of laughs and a one-of-a-kind character kids will cheer for, this hilarious story is a celebration of individuality, persistence, overcoming disappointment, and what it takes to be a true star.

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The way Dylan learns to change his perspective in the face of a disappointing situation shows kids that it's okay to feel these kinds of emotions and eventually find acceptance for them, and to go even further, you always have the ability to turn things around and shine brighter in those moments than anyone could've expected. (Sound familiar?)

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In that same Instagram post, Edwards writes:

When I sat down to write this book, I knew I wanted to give a voice to all the little boys that would rather hit a G sharp than hit a ball. Dylan St. Claire is the child I could’ve been if I embraced who I knew I was and had the b***s to be a “sissy”. Dylan St. Claire is my childhood Sasha Fierce.

Love it.

Get the book in these formats:

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