The Other Boy

Reviewed by: Brooke Faulkner - McArthur Public Library, Biddeford, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: January 18, 2017

Review

A funny and heart-wrenching debut about twelve-year-old Shane, who after moving to a new community with his mom several years before the beginning of the novel, began living as the boy he actually is, though he was born biologically female. Interspersed throughout are appealing panels of a graphic novel Shane has been writing and illustrating and he shares a love of baseball and video games with his best friend Josh, whom he worries he'd lose if Josh knew that he is transgender. He's also newly interested in a girl at school, Madeline, who seems to like him. His earnest, kind mom is more informed and supportive than his dad, but his dad does eventually come to a new place of understanding. Just as things are seemingly going so well for Shane, a bully finds out and emails a photo of him from before he began transitioning to the entire school.

Shane's earnest first-person voice rings true in this moving work of realistic fiction that takes its time developing the characters. Readers will easily empathize with Shane and will appreciate the believable, auspicious ending and spot on depiction of the dynamics of middle school.

Overall Book Score: excellent