Summary: Shane really likes his new school, his friends, and his baseball team. However, what he hasn’t told anyone is that he’s transgender. The secret isn’t kept for long, though. One of his classmates finds out Shane’s truth and doesn’t hesitate to tell people, leaving Shane with no option but to deal with the reactions.
Review: This was a really good story! It is definitely one of the better trans-narratives that I’ve read (and it really isn’t close). The story wasn’t overly medical and complicated with a lot of surgical jargon (which, to me, never makes for an interesting story). It also wasn’t overly angsty. It just… was. Being trans was Shane’s life, and it was incredibly important, but Shane had more to him than that.
With this all, Shane was a really great narrator and protagonist. I liked him a lot and felt really connected to him by the end of the story. He was just super likeable and rootable, and I appreciate the author for writing him in such a way. But it wasn’t just Shane! Josh was also a great character. He was such a good friend to Shane. I really loved him and his support. I genuinely teared up when he brought the whole baseball team to Shane’s house in order to persuade Shane to go to the championship game with the rest of the team. Even as I write this right now, I’m getting choked up thinking about it.
I also loved that Shane had additional conflicts beyond his gender identity. He had a crush, baseball games, and his contentious relationship with his dad. I mean, his gender identity WAS the main conflict for him, but there was so much more than that, and I really appreciated it. I did find it interesting that, in the end, Madeline and Shane didn’t end up together! I was super expecting that, so I was pretty surprised when it didn’t happen. I liked this, though! It was cool to show that not everything is always a perfect, happy ending. Shane still had a happy ending with his friends and family, but not everything always works out.
Shane’s mom was also a really great character. She was so supportive and loving of Shane, and she was willing to do whatever necessary to help him. His dad was also a well-written character, though maybe not a likeable character, he was realistic. It felt like a genuine portrayal of a father grappling with a new world of gender identity. Ultimately, though, he came back around and did what was best for his child, which I think is the most important part of him and his story.
My biggest “complaint”, if you want to call it that, is that I wish the author was actually a part of the trans-community (or, if they are, it was more clear). Obviously, this is not something that they can control, but it would give them slightly more authority on the topic I think.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Recommended reader: Anyone who likes:
- Realistic fiction
- Stories about friendship
- Stories about family
- LGBTQ+
- Trans protagonists
- Heartwarming stories
- Baseball
- Coming of age stories
- Melissa by Alex Gino
Discussion Questions:
- Who were some of the most important people in Shane’s life? (Pick three.) How did each of them help Shane in the story? How would his story have ended differently without each of them? Who do you think was MOST important to his story? Why?
- How has baseball helped Shane in his life? How has baseball also been hard for him as someone who is transgender? What theme may the author be including through Shane and his baseball team?
- Describe Shane’s relationship with his dad. How does it grow and develop throughout the course of the story. What causes these changes? How does Summer impact their relationship? Do you think his dad is a good father? Why or why not?
- How does Shane’s comic represent himself and his life experiences in the story? How does drawing the comic help him and his mental health? Why does he quit the comic at one point? What does this symbolize about him?
Specifics of the book:
- Genre: Realistic Fiction
- Lexile Level: HL560L
- Accelerated Reader Level: 4.2 (6 pts)
- Content Level: 6th
- Pages: 228
- Controversial Issues: None
Young Adult Lit Reviews 