How Eleanor Roosevelt can inspire kids today to be allies with Kelly Mangan and Lee Wind

Brad
Jun 19
2 min read

Release date: June 23, 2025

There is a richness to the new children’s book, Like That Eleanor: The Amazing Power of Being an Ally by writer Lee Wind and illustrator Kelly Mangan, that affords a caregiver and a child myriad opportunities for discussion, exploration, and, ultimately, connection. It weaves history lessons with contemporary, school scenarios that young children will recognize in a way that entertains while modeling skills that young children need. I think Lee and Kelly have created something special, and I was excited to talk to both of them about their process and what they want kids and adults to take away from this book. More about Lee and Kelly and Like That Eleanor: The Amazing Power of Being an Ally is below.

Biography of Kelly Mangan

Kelly is an author and illustrator of picture book and middle grade stories. Though originally from the south, she now resides in snowy Vermont with her partner and two kids. When she’s not writing or drawing, you’ll likely find her weaving on a rigid heddle loom, reading The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, or watching Star Trek with a cup of Earl Grey, hot.

Biography of Lee Wind

Lee Wind (he/him) writes the books that would have changed his life as a young gay Jewish kid. His master's degree from Harvard didn't include blueprints for a time machine to go back and tell these stories to himself, so he pays it forward with a popular blog that has over four million page views (I'm Here. I'm Queer. What the Hell Do I Read?) and books for kids and teens.

Among other titles, Lee is the award-winning author of the nonfiction No Way, They Were Gay? Hidden Lives and Secret Loves, and The Gender Binary is a Big Lie: Infinite Identities Around the World, both named Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selections. Lee's social justice-inspired picture book Red and Green and Blue and White (illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky) was called “beautiful” by The New York Times, in a review that praised it as, “a message the world can use, throughout the year.”