How does your child express their individuality? Tell us for a chance to win a £100 John Lewis voucher plus picture book Odd Dog Out

[SorchaMumsnet]

Rob Biddulph's beautiful new picture book Odd Dog Out is all about blazing a trail, and being who you are. To celebrate its publication, we're asking you to share how your mini superstars dare to be different.

It's a dog's life in the big city but one dog doesn't quite fit in. It's lonely being the odd dog out when all she wants to do is find her place in the world. She's willing to travel far on her quest, but it might take a different kind of journey for her to realise that maybe she's exactly where she needs to be.

A sublimely sunny and exquisitely illustrated tale about fitting in and standing out, from the award-winning and tremendously talented Rob Biddulph.

We'd love to hear how your little ones to express their individuality (and how you help them to do so) - whether it's insisting on wearing their favourite character costume 24/7 or only eating certain coloured food. For a chance to win a copy of Odd Dog Out and £100 voucher to spend at John Lewis, just tell us on this thread.

This discussion is sponsored by HarperCollins and will close at midday on 22 February

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My son loves to wear bright coloured clothing or footwear. Always has done from a very young age

My autistic son just doesn't realise he is different. Whether it's wearing wheat he wants, saying the wrong thing, being uncoordinated at the school disco, listening to different music, watching an obscure documentary on tv, he's different in every way, and I love him all the more for it! Wouldn't change him for the world!

My DS will never wear a jumper and a coat except on really cold days. I will be freezing but he will be out in a t-shirt. He also has a dry witty sense of humour that I love: says '' colleague announcement will mummy/daddy/sister please come/do this"in the style of the asda loudspeaker. DD is only young but knows her own mind- she hates wearing headbands/clips to keep her thick hair off her face.

Boy likes to dance when he's happy or annoyed, it's quite sweet really but definitely individual.

All our Dcs have very strong individual fashion ideas, and each of them different to the other. Great they have their own look but not so good for handing down clothes between them.

My 6 year old son loves to sing-and he will do it anywhere with reckless abandon-on the bus, in the shower, in the queue at school. He just loves it!

By telling every person we meet who he is with and where they live. (this is my grandma from ...etc)

By only wearing odd socks

By singing answers to questions instead of saying them!

My little boy (4) doesn't realise the gender stereotypes, for which I'm grateful. As such, he went to his classmate's birthday party dressed in a witch's costume, complete with hat and glittery spiders. He proudly walked through the town like this and didn't bat an eyelid when no one else was dressed up! Sadly, I fear school will affect his individuality soon enough (I've already overheard "that's for girls" in the playground, sadly. But for now, my little quirky boy dresses up in whatever he chooses and does ballet with his sister.

My sons a real sucker for manners, if he hears anyone ask for something without saying 'please' or 'thank you'.. he will certainly tell them thats not how we ask!! hes only 4 and its so adorable! he would never be caught not saying please or thank you!

My children are older now, but when younger, they used to like to sing and dance and put on shows. Their individuality came from the fact that they were both tone deaf like me.

She doesn't get caught up in trends or fashion, she knows what she likes and chooses them.

By pretending to be a bus stopping at bus stops and benches to let people on and off announcing stops. He often likes to wear red and bus t shirts 😀

My little boy believes he is going to be batman when he grows up so he has to either wear an item of batman attire or take one of his batman toys out with him anywhere we go.

Although it can be a bit annoying that he is totally obsessed I do love that my little boy wants to save the world and look after others.

My daughter likes to dress herself as insists on choosing her outfits which are never coordinated! I always have to explain when we're out as sometimes she looks hilarious!!

My dd(5) is obsessed by dancing, she does it literally all day long. She twirls into class and while all the other children paint pictures in reception she plans dance moves. She has been the same since she was tiny ( everyone else in out family had two left feet). Her show and tell for school have been so far, her first two pairs of ballet shoes (on separate occasions) her tap shoes and her pre primary tap certificate. Luckily her school teacher is very understanding

They love their scarfs atm!

My daughter gets dressed in whatever she likes in the morning. it's not always pretty, or coordinated but it's just a little way she expresses her individuality.

My eldest asked for a lemon squeezer for Christmas I love the fact that he isn't swayed by TV adverts or peer pressure! We've still no idea why he wanted one its just sat there in his room like an ornament!

my son refuses to care about his hair much to the annoyance of all his friends and will not go anywhere near any styling product no matter how much they offer to style it for him.

She won't be coerced into being the same as everyone else and going along with the crowd if she doesn't want to.

My middle son would only eat 'real' soup out of a tin, much to my mother's disgust. He decided to go vegetarian when he was 8 but hated vegetables. It didn't last long when I pointed out he'd probably have to give up his favourite food, cheese, as we lived in a small village at the time and the village shop just didn't do vegetarian cheese.

mine always dresses himself in his own own

I can't say that there are too many quirks showing just yet but I'm sure they have yet to manifest themselves.

My DS has worn odd socks for 18 months now, the oddity does not seem to be wearing off any time soon! His favorite are one bright red and one bright green.

Through drawings