Art Of Being Normal

Read this book all in one sitting. Interesting and compelling story of David and Leo. This is probably the fourth or fifth book I've read now addressing transgender issues and this book did several things well and could have improved in several ways, but was one of the best books on this topic I've read. I have read books about transgender characters that actually have homophobia in there as well -- this one did not. The problem I did have with this is that it does tend to reinforce gender stereotypes, which a few of the other books I've read have done as well. You don't have to wear make-up and dresses to be a girl, even if you're transgender, but that was all that David wanted and the fact that there are other ways to be a girl weren't addressed. Likewise, Leo was all about being a boy but, again, sort of stereotype of a boy. Again, there's nothing wrong with wanting to be a "traditional" boy or girl. I love make-up and dresses and the color pink! I also like to not wear make-up and like to get dirty. There should be a discussion, maybe somewhere in the background, about how there are different ways to be boys and girls, even if you're transgender. Let's keep in mind that I'm a cisgender white woman who only knows about her own experiences. I don't know what it's like to feel like I'm in the wrong body. But I thought this book did a great job, in particular, about trying to address what happens after beginning a transition. A lot of times books about LGBT+ topics focus on the "coming out" aspect of it, rather than the "what happens after" part of it, and I feel like both are really important. This book did both the coming out story and the adjusting to a new life story. I appreciated that. I also appreciated how David and Leo didn't get together romantically -- I could see it potentially happening and I just didn't want that and I was glad it didn't happen. Also, no sex and hardly any swearing! I worry about recommending books to my kids that have $5 swear words and hot and heavy adult scenes, but this one I feel like I could recommend to a teenager without worry on that score. Excellent book -- would recommend!