Book reviews of YA lit and more

As a middle school librarian and hopeful reader of Missouri's high school award books (Gateway nominees), I am reading and reviewing as many young adult and middle grade novels as I can while working on my own writing for this age group.

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Almost Perfect- Brian Katcher


This second book by Brian Katcher is so far my favorite; however, I do not think I will be putting it back on my middle school library shelves.  Sage is a transgender high school student who moves to rural Missouri to make a new start for herself as a girl.  Logan, just coming off a broken relationship, quickly falls for Sage.  His world is completely rocked when Sage is honest with him and tells Logan that she is actually a girl trapped in a boy's body.  Most of the book is Logan dealing with this information and the feelings his still has for Sage inspite of the knowledge that she isn't truly a girl.  Again I think Brian Katcher captures the voice of a high school boy so well, which is why I have a hard time putting this book in a middle school library.  The language and obviously sex discussion (hard to have a book about a boy falling in love with a transgender girl) makes it fine for high school, but not middle school.  I do think this topic is handled well and needs to be addressed as there are teenagers dealing with this issue, but not always out in the open.  Katcher lists some organizations and places teenagers can go to for help and support with transgender issues.  This book is very honest and does a great job with a sensitive topic.

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