Fearless Friday - Reading Round-Up
Even though StT is out with my beta readers, gender and gender identity have been on my mind this week because of a shorter bit of critical summat I needed to write (the purpose of which will be revealed when the time comes). Here's my annotated reading list, rated by heels.
= 1 (lowest)
= 5 (highest)
Jumpstart the World by Catherine Ryan Hyde (2010).
Unlike her mother, Elle can see beyond the superficial, and she appreciates people who are different. So why does she reject Frank, her new next-door neighbor, the guy she develops a crush on, when she finds out he is a trans man? Set in Manhattan, and beautifully written, Hyde's novel takes Elle on a path to greater acceptance not only of others, but of herself.
Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher (2009)
Logan is immediately taken with Sage, the new girl in his small Kansas. On the rebound from a long-term relationship, Logan at first wants only friendship, but then it turns into something more. Until he discovers Sage is biologically male, and freaks. Complex and complicated, this novel is true to its setting and characters.
How Beautiful the Ordinary: Twelve Stories of Identity, ed. Michael Cart (2009)
With contributions by Francesca Lia Block, David Levithan, Gregory Maguire, Margot Lanahan, Jacqueline Woodson, Emma Donoghue, William Sleator, Eric Shanower, Ron Koertge, Jennifer Finney Boylan, Ariel Schrag, and Julie Anne Peters, this anthology explores what it means, or may mean in the future, to be LGBTQ as a teen. The many voices create a world rich in possibility.
The Boy in the Dress by David Walliams (2009)
Since his mum left, Dennis has found himself attracted to fashion magazines, even as he enjoys soccer. In detention he gets to know Lisa, a teenage fashionista who encourages him to dress as a girl, which it turns out he likes. Complications ensue. More of an upper-middle-grade novel or early YA and set in London, Walliam's novel offers illustrations by Quentin Blake, as well as a particularly British take on cross-dressing.
Parrotfish by Ellen Wittlinger (2007)
A coming-out novel narrated by Grady, born Angela, about how the difficulties of getting her family, her school, and many (but not all) of her friends to accept him. Not without humor (Dad makes the family re-enact Dickens' "Christmas Carol" for the neighbors entertainment), the action covers one holiday season in which the finest gifts are not the ones under the tree.
Freak Show by James St. James (2007)
Poor Billy Bloom, banished to the cultural wasteland of south Florida. But fear not, Billy will prevail! 'Though beaten, he will not swerve from his desire to bring beauty, fun, and glamour to ultra-conservative Dwight D. Eisenhower Academy. Oh, and find love along the way. Because who doesn't love The Big Man on Campus.
Luna by Julie Anne Peters (2004)
It's Regan and Luna against their parents, because their parents can't accept that Luna isn't their son Liam any more. But as much as she wants to support Luna, Regan is going to miss her brother--even if letting her go does mean that Regan is at last free to live her own. Ground-breaking and poignant.