Willi Ninja: Vogue Legend

"Exquisitely deep in vogue." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Kicking off a picture book series of LGBTQ+ biographies is this inspiring story of the incomparable dancer Willi Ninja, Grandfather of Vogue and star of the film Paris Is Burning.

When little Willi Leake watched karate movies with his mother in their cozy Queens apartment, he'd slice the air with his arms like swords. He'd swish his hips like the models he saw in magazines and copy ancient pharaohs' poses from Egyptian hieroglyphs. Bursting with energy, Willi would strut his way down the street, and his mother would tell him not to mind the puzzled looks he'd get. When she took him to the Apollo Theater to watch ballerinas twirling, Willi allowed himself to dream--and the more he dreamed, the more he danced. With an accessible text and dynamic illustrations, Joy Michael Ellison and Nabi H. Ali trace Willi's path against the odds as he brings his signature moves to the dance style known as vogue and finds his spotlight at the Harlem drag balls where a performer known as Willi Ninja is born. Providing context, community, and comprehension of queer and trans culture for young history buffs, the lively narrative is followed by back matter delving into more details about Willi Ninja and what life was like during his time.

Author: Joy Michael Ellison
Publisher: Candlewick Press (MA)
Published: 05/05/2026
Pages: 48
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.05lbs
Size: 10.70h x 9.30w x 0.60d
ISBN: 9781536230086
Audience: Ages 9-12


Review Citation(s):
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 03/01/2026
Booklist 03/01/2026
Publishers Weekly 03/16/2026
Kirkus Reviews 04/01/2026

About the Author
Joy Michael Ellison is a writer, professor, and activist. Their published books include Sylvia and Marsha Start a Revolution!. Their political commentary has been featured in The Washington Post, Columbus Alive, and Matter News. You can find their creative writing in the Baltimore Review, Story Club Magazine, and Lunch Ticket, to name a few publications. When not writing, teaching, or organizing, Joy Michael Ellison loves watching birds.

Nabi H. Ali is a Tamil American illustrator who enjoys creating diverse works that showcase an array of cultures and people. They have illustrated the picture books Love Is Here with You: A Lullaby of Blessings by Jyoti Rajan Gopal, We Move the World by Kari Lavelle, Beautifully Me by Nabela Noor, Laxmi's Mooch by Shelly Anand, and All the Way to the Top: How One Girl's Fight for Americans with Disabilities Changed Everything by Annette Bay Pimentel, among others. They also illustrated the graphic novel Ms. Marvel: Stretched Thin by Nadia Shammas and the middle-grade fantasy novel Shakti by SJ Sindu. Nabi H. Ali lives in California.