I'm Not a Girl

April 1, 2020
A young transgender boy finds the words to come out to his parents and begin his transition. At the beginning of the story, the narrator, a white trans boy, knows only that he is "not a girl." Something is wrong, but he can't quite name it. Over the course of the book, he comes to be able to say "I am a boy." At the public pool, he meets new friends, black siblings, and they teach him the word "transgender," arming him to come out to his parents. The story ends with the most touching of the largely uninspiring illustrations, as the boy smiles at his new haircut in the barbershop mirror. This straightforward coming-out story may be useful as an issue teaching tool, but it doesn't have the spark that makes a picture book special. It pales when held up to Kyle Lukoff and Kaylani Juanita's When Aidan Became a Brother (2019), the only real competition in the category of picture books about transgender boys, lacking both the heart and the comfortable trans competency. Verdi and Lyons are careful to neither disparage girls nor fall into the common trap of gender stereotyping trans children, and the first-person narration at first seems like a clever way to obscure the boy's birth name--but unfortunately, the dreaded name still weasels its way into the didactic text. A springboard (but not much more) for talking to kids about being transgender. (authors' notes, illustrator's note, famous transgender people, resources) (Picture book. 4-7)

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Starred review from April 15, 2020
Preschool-G *Starred Review* Hannah struggles to express his gender. Picture day and Halloween are especially frustrating, as Hannah's mom selects pink dresses. Months later, Hannah insists on buying a boy's swimsuit. Soon after, he spends a fun day at the pool with new friends. When Hannah tells them, I am a boy. No one believes me though, they respond, We believe you, and You're like our cousin. Our family thought she was a boy, but she's actually a girl. She's transgender. Hannah then finds the courage to talk to his parents. The book ends with his new haircut and happy smile. Cartoon illustrations by a transgender artist capture Hannah's worry and frustration. The main characters are Caucasian, with diverse supporting characters, including the children at the pool. The story is cowritten with a twelve-year-old transgender boy and shares his personal experience. Extensive back matter includes notes from the creative team, a list of transgender individuals, and additional resources. An important book that can serve as a conversation starter with gender-expansive children and as a tool for cis children to build empathy.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)