This was recommended by a colleague who has impeccable taste. I was looking for books for the summer reading list that were written for adults but would have appeal to teenagers. This is the story of a teacher named Emily who is currently residing in the body of Mr. Skyberg. Even though she knows she is a woman, she was born into a body that leads people to believe otherwise. When she comes out to the new trans student in her school, she finds herself leaning on the kid way more than a teacher should depend on their student. Abigail, the student, is pretty miserable, having been kicked out of her parent's house and currently she lives with her sister and the sister's boyfriend. She is hooking up with the son of a prominant conservative family in the town of Marshall, South Dakota where the book is set.
The small town vibe is accurate and the characters, all of whom are deep in the chasm of change, feel distinct and realistic. For me, this book gave me a ringside seat to the many paths of transitioning. It answers a lot of questions for me about mindset and it is clear to the reader what is not okay to ask. From time to time I found myself irritated with Abigail and her view of herself as the center of the world. And then I remembered that she is supposed to be 17 and adjusted my expectations accordingly. This is a heartwarming story of people going though huge stakes transformations in what feels like a very small world.
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