Katerina Cruickshanks

A joy-filled cheer of appreciation for loud, trouble-making, outrageous kids.

Katerina Cruickshanks is a wild child, a trickster, and a ringleader. But when they wreak some serious chaos, their friends decide their shenanigans have gone too far and say, 'No more!'

Brimming with humour and warmth, Katerina shows us that there's no such thing as being too much; it's just a matter of finding the friends who will love you as you are.

"Katerina's wonderfully eccentric personality and theatricality shines through on every page where the kaleidoscopic illustrations help bring the whimsical nature of their character to life. What stands out about this book is the author's choice to use non-binary pronouns for the main character, a rarity in children's books. Because their identity is not a factor in the storyline, it represents the LGBTQIA+ community and instils inclusivity simply by celebrating people and their differences." - Fiona Buckley, Irish Examiner

"A raucous, rhyming homage to a child who uses they/them pronouns and their outrageous personality ... Throughout author/illustrator Gray-Barnett's latest picture book, Katerina's gender is refreshingly presented without commentary. Instead, Katerina's boisterous personality and larger-than-life antics are the centre of the story ... Young readers will be tickled by the kooky protagonist, rendered in scribbly, joyfully-coloured illustrations." - Kirkus Reviews

"Katerina read like a modern-day descendant of Sendak's Rosie, also blessed with an outsized personality and flamboyant sense of style. The images were very dynamic; a two-page spread showing evidence of Katerina sowing chaos was especially fun ... This celebratory story of a non-binary child in which that characteristic is not the sole focus of the book is refreshing and rare. Kids, families, and librarians looking for representation will enjoy this story." - Youth Services Book Review