5 stars
A fantastic memoir dealing with issues of gender, identity, acceptance, and perception. The story follows Kobabe as ey learn about and explore eir self-identity. This includes coming out to family and dealing with their reactions; navigating crushes, sexual relationships, and doctor visits; discovering eir pronouns; and finding eirself in music and books.
Through Kobabe’s struggle, ey share various aspects of eir journey including the joys, discomforts, pains, and awkwardness. This includes both the physical and psychological. Kobabe’s stories show readers they are not alone, that it’s okay to question one’s identity, and that one’s identity can shift and change over time.
Though there are hard moments filled with confusion and pain, there are also wonderful moments of clarity and joy. Every time Kobabe discovers a component that makes em feel more like eir authentic self, from finding the right kind of underwear to discovering eir pronouns to developing eir own style, eir happiness is felt through the pages. These moments give hope to other readers who may be struggling with similar issues. Though the journey can be difficult, there are little joys along the way.
Strewn throughout are wonderful pieces of advice. Such gems include valuing one’s own comfort over possibly inconveniencing others and recognizing the work others (and you) are putting in.
The book itself is physically beautiful. Love the art style and Phoebe Kobabe did a fantastic job on the colors. So great the siblings could work together to create this fantastic book.
A great read that expresses one gender experience and the various insights gained. Helpful for both genderqueer and non-genderqueer readers in learning about different gender expressions. Thankful to Kobabe and everyone who helped make this book a reality. And shoutout to all the library workers, educators, and advocates making sure others continue to have access to this book.