Das schönste Kleid der Welt

The most beautiful dress in the world tells the story of Anna, who is called Paul by everyone because no one knows she is a girl. The book is suitable for children aged 4 and up, as well as educators, teachers, and parents. When Anna is born, something strange happens: the doctor says she is a boy. Therefore, her parents name her Paul. Anna is trans. The most beautiful dress in the world narrates Anna's story from her birth through her school years. Initially being perceived as a boy is hardly tangible for little Anna; only slowly do expectations form, leading to conflicts. Her world changes. The moment of liberation comes during a pants shopping trip when Anna insists on a dress. She gathers all her courage and reveals to her mother: "Mom, don't you know that I am a girl?" Her mother reacts in a way that all trans children would likely wish for. Unlike other children's books that address diversity or being different, the story is set not in an imaginary fairy tale world but in the here and now. Anna being trans is not a big and surprising revelation at the end of the book; rather, Anna has always been Anna, perceived as the boy Paul. Being trans is thus not a choice; the awareness of one's own gender has been unshakeable from the very beginning. This is narratively conveyed through a dual perspective: Anna's view of herself and the world is told from her female perspective, but is viewed by her surroundings from a male perspective. This creates a playful confusion of self-perception and external perception. The detailed and humorous watercolors by the trans artist Kai D. Janik invite exploration and sensitively accompany the narrative from Anna's carefree toddler phase, through her school years, and the increasingly evident conflicts, leading to a fairy-tale-like ending.