Cardboard Kingdom - Chad Sell (with various authors)
In a small suburban neighborhood, a boy uses cardboard to play the evil Sorceress, while in the short vignettes that follow, family and friends become other characters that suit them, if sometimes after a struggle. A possibly neurodivergent, on-the-spectrum boy dresses as a robot. A detail-oriented girl grounded in reality becomes a seller of magic potions. A bully becomes a rampaging monster, gradually accepted through play. A girl told to act demure and quiet lives out her true self as a roaring beast. A questioning boy decides he's not a princess to be rescued nor a monster, but a dashing rogue. All of this is told through pictures when possible (though there's a good amount of dialogue). It's a sweet, welcoming story, told with delicacy and understanding. Absolutely perfect for questioning kids. [4]
