From the Publisher
Riley is a smart, funny, sharp-eyed force” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“One of the first YA books to deal with the complex issue of gender fluidity…Riley’s emotional life and personal growth shed welcome light on a hitherto obscure subject.” — Booklist (starred review)
“Vibrantly imagined…a welcome mirror for gender-fluid teens.” — Kirkus Reviews
“With a main character who truly deserves to be called unique, combined with heartbreak and triumphs that are universal, this unforgettable book made me laugh, and also cry: Garvin’s powerful new voice rocks!” — Lissa Price, international bestselling author of Starters
“Riley Cavanaugh is a sharp, funny, powerful voice for those who haven’t quite found theirs yet. Both highly entertaining and highly necessary, Symptoms is the kind of book that makes you a better human for having read it. I loved it.” — Dahlia Adler, author of Under the Lights and Just Visiting
“A moving portrayal of what it means to be different, yet the same, all at once. Jeff Garvin has written a beautifully thoughtful book.” — Renee Ahdieh, author of The Wrath and the Dawn
“An important introduction for readers who know little about gender fluidity and a welcome nod to those who may be experiencing similar feelings.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
Booklist (starred review)
One of the first YA books to deal with the complex issue of gender fluidity…Riley’s emotional life and personal growth shed welcome light on a hitherto obscure subject.
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
An important introduction for readers who know little about gender fluidity and a welcome nod to those who may be experiencing similar feelings.
Lissa Price
With a main character who truly deserves to be called unique, combined with heartbreak and triumphs that are universal, this unforgettable book made me laugh, and also cry: Garvin’s powerful new voice rocks!
Dahlia Adler
Riley Cavanaugh is a sharp, funny, powerful voice for those who haven’t quite found theirs yet. Both highly entertaining and highly necessary, Symptoms is the kind of book that makes you a better human for having read it. I loved it.
Renee Ahdieh
A moving portrayal of what it means to be different, yet the same, all at once. Jeff Garvin has written a beautifully thoughtful book.
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
An important introduction for readers who know little about gender fluidity and a welcome nod to those who may be experiencing similar feelings.
Kirkus Reviews
2015-10-19
Riley Cavanaugh, whose father is a prominent politician in a conservative Southern California county, navigates being gender fluid and experiencing panic attacks. For Riley, being gender fluid means that "some days I wake up feeling more 'boy' and some days I wake up feeling more 'girl.' And some days, I wake up feeling somewhere in between." When Riley starts attending public school, in part to escape bullying and in part to boost Sen. Cavanaugh's education-reformer image, Riley's plan is to dress androgynously and try to blend in. But Riley's arrival attracts attention both negative—a popular girl calls Riley "it"—and positive—two misfit students offer friendship and maybe more. On the advice of Dr. Ann, the therapist Riley started seeing after a suicide attempt, Riley starts a personal blog. After just a couple of posts, Riley gains a massive following, and Andie Gingham, a trans girl in crisis, reaches out to Riley for advice. Both the blog's instant popularity and the media emphasis on Riley's role in Andie's story ring false, and the book's insistence that transgender and gender-fluid teens should all come out seems less than carefully reasoned. Riley's family relationships and growing friendships, however, are vibrantly imagined, and the panic attacks are well-illustrated. Overall, a welcome mirror for gender-fluid teens and a helpful introduction for others. (Fiction. 12-18)
