The Other Boy

by M. G. Hennessey, Sfe R. Monster (Illustrator)

Overview

A beautifully heartfelt story about one boy’s journey toward acceptance. A book that Jill Soloway, the award-winning creator of Transparent, called “a terrific read for all ages” and Ami Polonsky, author of Gracefully Grayson, called “an emotionally complex and achingly real read.”

Twelve-year-old Shane Woods is just a regular boy. He loves pitching for his baseball team, working on his graphic novel, and hanging out with his best friend, Josh.

But Shane is keeping something private, something that might make a difference to his friends and teammates, even Josh. And when a classmate threatens to reveal his secret, Shane’s whole world comes crashing down.

It will take a lot of courage for Shane to ignore the hate and show the world that he’s still the same boy he was before. And in the end, those who stand beside him may surprise everyone, including Shane.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062427687
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	09/20/2016
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	256
File size:	3 MB
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

M. G. Hennessey loves Star Wars, the San Francisco Giants, strawberry ice cream, and dancing (not necessarily in that order). If she could choose one superpower, it would be flying. A supporter of the Transgender Law Center, Gender Spectrum, and the Human Rights Campaign, she lives in Los Angeles with her family. Visit her on the web at www.mghennessey.com.

Sfé R. Monster is a comic artist and illustrator who is deeply invested in the telling of transgender stories, whose own work includes the comic Eth’s Skin and the Beyond anthology. Sfé lives on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean in Nova Scotia, Canada, and enjoys conspiracy theories, eerie beasts, and folk music. Visit Sfé R. Monster at www.sfemonster.com or on Twitter @sfemonster.

Editorial Reviews

This is the story with a triumphant-but-realistic ending. It’s challenging but not tragic, and it ends with bright, beautiful hope.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Debut author Hennessey effectively depicts Shane’s life as both ordinary and very particular... A warm, realistic book.” — Publishers Weekly

“Hennessey sensitively portrays typical sixth-grade trials (first crushes, embarrassing parents, etc.), compounded by the confusion and prejudice that can accompany transitioning. An honest, encouraging addition to the growing ranks of transgender lit for the middle grades.” — Booklist

“Shane’s voice rings true, and the writing is straightforward and accessible...t’s refreshing to read a story with a young trans character already living life as his true gender and never questioning his identity...The book...has wide appeal.” — School Library Journal

“Shane’s story presents a range of experiences of how people react to someone transgender. More importantly, his story walks readers through what it feels like to know your body doesn’t align with your gender. Shane is positioned just right to surface problems negotiating friends and romance as an ordinary boy.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“Hennessey explores Shane’s life and it’s many complications with sensitivity. Terrific story-telling elevates this above a standard “issues book,” and readers will find it impossible not to empathize with the diverse cast of characters.” — San Francisco Chronicle

From the Publisher

Hennessey sensitively portrays typical sixth-grade trials (first crushes, embarrassing parents, etc.), compounded by the confusion and prejudice that can accompany transitioning. An honest, encouraging addition to the growing ranks of transgender lit for the middle grades.

Booklist

Shane’s story presents a range of experiences of how people react to someone transgender. More importantly, his story walks readers through what it feels like to know your body doesn’t align with your gender. Shane is positioned just right to surface problems negotiating friends and romance as an ordinary boy.

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Hennessey explores Shane’s life and it’s many complications with sensitivity. Terrific story-telling elevates this above a standard “issues book,” and readers will find it impossible not to empathize with the diverse cast of characters.

San Francisco Chronicle

Hennessey sensitively portrays typical sixth-grade trials (first crushes, embarrassing parents, etc.), compounded by the confusion and prejudice that can accompany transitioning. An honest, encouraging addition to the growing ranks of transgender lit for the middle grades.

Booklist

Hennessey explores Shane’s life and it’s many complications with sensitivity. Terrific story-telling elevates this above a standard “issues book,” and readers will find it impossible not to empathize with the diverse cast of characters.

San Francisco Chronicle

Shane’s story presents a range of experiences of how people react to someone transgender. More importantly, his story walks readers through what it feels like to know your body doesn’t align with your gender. Shane is positioned just right to surface problems negotiating friends and romance as an ordinary boy.

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

2016-06-01
Twelve-year-old Shane Woods is seriously into baseball, video games, the graphic novel he's drawing, and a redheaded classmate named Madeline. The white sixth-grader has been inseparable from his Chinese-American best friend, Josh Choi, since they met, but Josh can tell Shane's distracted by something. Josh figures it's Madeline, but Shane's about to get a prescription for testosterone, which will allow him to start puberty and catch up with cisgender kids his age. Shane is in "stealth mode," when a trans person keeps their gender status private until they share it with someone important to them. It's bugging Shane that he hasn't told Josh, but he's still too scared. His own story is ripped out of his control when a bully finds out and spreads it around the whole school. Though his mother, a blonde, vegan midwife, is supportive and loving, after days of being the school pariah and the threat of losing everything, Shane finds that only Alejandra, a Latina trans girl he befriended in a support group, shines a light and gives him perspective. Hennessey does a good job normalizing what many people find incredibly different. The adults in Shane's life don't always get everything right, but they basically want to support him, which feels both realistic and aspirational. Alejandra is a valuable reminder that not all kids enjoy Shane's privilege. This is the story with a triumphant-but-realistic ending that trans kids haven't had enough of. It's challenging but not tragic, and it ends with bright, beautiful hope. (Fiction. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews