Different Good

The lives of two early humans change when their child introduces them to new ways of seeing the world.

Man and woman live a simple life. They grunt. They eat meat. They play with rocks. They build stone structures. Every day is the same, and nothing is different … until their new baby arrives. The child is nothing like man and woman. It sings. It eats plants. It plays with sticks. It builds wooden structures.

One day, frustrated by the child’s unfamiliar behavior, man takes its stick away and, in doing so, accidentally pokes a mammoth in the eye. The mammoth swallows man whole, but the child’s quick thinking sparks a game of fetch, and he is promptly spat out again. After the rescue, man and woman realize that different may be good after all.

Written and Illustrated by

Thao Lam

Published

October 20, 2026 with Owlkids Books

Starred reviews

“Whimsical, offbeat, and marvelous—just like its prehistoric protagonist.” — Kirkus Reviews – STARRED REVIEW

Notable reviews

“In a world where children are constantly bombarded with societal expectations and unrealistic beauty standards in the media, this book can help young children see that not only is every body beautiful, there is so much more to the people who have these bodies than their appearance. Everybelly would be a fantastic addition to public, school, and home libraries alike.” — The Quebec Library Association
“Neither the child nor the viewer sees their faces, as the kiddo’s eyes are level with their bellies. It’s a framing that is often seen in news stories on the subject of obesity—images of bodies and large bellies with the head cut out of frame, eliminating the person and their humanity—but here Lam flips this, connecting the body with what the narrator knows of them. Faces are turned away, or covered by hats and beach umbrellas, but bodies of all shapes, abilities, and skin tones are on display, moving, swimming, talking, cuddling. There are all sorts of bellies—large bellies, slouching bellies, flat bellies, distended bellies, splotchy skinned bellies, stretch marked bellies—and beneath each body, a story.” — Center for Children’s Books
“Glorious cut-paper collage artwork grabbed my attention from front to final endpaper! Please look carefully at both. Ms. Lam is a consummate storyteller, through both words and illustrations. She gives attention here to a plethora of diverse bellies, as well as diversity in the people sporting them. Each belly has a story; there is so much more to the person being described or seen than their belly. Acceptance of all is a given and joyful. It is a welcome celebration in a world that, too often, is not open to honoring such differences.” — Sal’s Fiction Addiction
“The text celebrates childrens’ natural curiosity and wonder, while issuing a humorous reminder to respect boundaries. Maddie’s observations and gentle wisdom will leave readers of all ages with a more well-rounded perspective on this most tender body part.” — Youth Services Book Review
“The best part of the story is the acceptance of all the different bodies that we see in our community. I love how the story is a celebration of people and FOOD! I too, love food and it is so refreshing to have a story that embraces the deliciousness all around us, in particular, jelly beans!” — Storytime With Stephanie
“Dive into a pool of diverse representation! The text is fun and thoughtful, but it’s the illustrations that really make this new picture book for April 2025 shine.” — We Are Teachers
“Everybelly is a tribute to the diversity of people that make our lives fuller. By seeing all the people whom she knows and even those she doesn’t, Maddie is learning empathy and an appreciation for a wide variety of cultures, bodies, preferences, and more.” — CanLit For LittleCanadians
“Everybelly is a wonderful reminder that our children love our bodies as they are, and we should too. It’s also another reminder that Thao Lam is one of this country’s best picture book artists.” — The Tyee
“Thao Lam is known for her awe-inspiring textured paper collages. She is a widely celebrated author/illustrator whose books – Wallpaper and The Paper Boat: A Refugee Story – have been recognized by the Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award. Lam’s latest endeavour, Everybelly (Groundwood Books, out now), is a celebration of every belly and every body. ” — Quill & Quire
“A trip to the public pool is the setting for an exuberant celebration of the diversity of human bodies in Thao Lam’s big-hearted (and big-bellied) new picture book, Everybelly. ” — Book Page

Awards and honours

The 2025 Kirkus Prize Winner
The 2025 Kirkus Prize Finalists
New York Public Library Best Books for Kids 2025
Booklist Editors’ Choice 2025
BookPage Best Picture Books of 2025
Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s Best Books for Kids and Teens 2025
Best Picture Books of 2025 Growing Book by Book
The Globe and Mail’s 10 Best Kids Books of 2025
Top 10 titles for the Ontario Library Association’s Best Bets
Included in the BRAW AMAZING BOOKSHELF! This selection of 150 outstanding books that participated in the BolognaRagazzi Awards this year will be showcased during the Bologna Children’s Book Fair.
IBBY Canada’s 2025 Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award Honouree.