In the town of Natick, Massachusetts, when Cari marries her wife Lauri, their neighbors welcome them and their dogs. Many friends gather to help hang the couple's rainbow flag.
One of the neighbors, a boy named Brendan, feels shocked and dismayed when he's out one morning riding his bike and notices the flag and the dogs missing. He discovers the dogs curled in fright at Cari and Lauri's feet as they scrub sticky bits of yolk from the outside of their house. When Brendan asks what happened, they express their fear that maybe someone doesn't like their flag — or them.
So begins this true story of transforming an act of hate into acts of kindness and unity. Brendan and other neighborhood kids brainstorm ideas to help — building a wall around Cari and Lauri's house, setting up patrols, retaliating against the person who did the harm — but they don't seem in keeping with the neighborhood's welcoming spirit. Then they land on an ingenious idea that includes everyone and spreads joy. Illustrator Izzy Evans beautifully captures their shift from concerned dismay to enthusiastic celebration.
Perfect for children ages four to seven, Rainbow Allies includes an Author's Note from Nancy Churnin with more details about what happened and a mention of a kindred act in 1993 by the people of Billings, Montana in response to a brick thrown through the window of a five-year-old boy displaying a menorah. Thousands of citizens showed their solidarity by displaying pictures of menorahs in their windows.
The book concludes with excellent advice, tailored to children, about how to be an LGBTQ ally.
