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A Boy Like Me
Born a girl, Peyton Honeycutt meets Tara Parks in the eighth grade bathroom shortly after he gets his first period. It is the best and worst day of his life. Determined to impress Tara, Peyton sets out to win her love by mastering the drums and basketball. He takes on Tara’s small-minded mother, the bully at school, and the prejudices within his conservative hometown. In the end, Peyton must accept and stand up for who he is or lose the woman he loves.
“A classic love story! Wood gets all the details of a trans individual coming-of-age into this novel. From the feelings about clothes, to the relationships with parents to the negotiations of life at school, this story rings true. Wood takes care with her setting and makes life, as painful and joyful as it can be, realistic. This novel is a great examination of what it means to come to terms with who you are and what it means to be true to yourself.” – Alex Myers, author of Revolutionary
“A classic love story! Wood gets all the details of a trans individual coming-of-age into this novel. From the feelings about clothes, to the relationships with parents to the negotiations of life at school, this story rings true. Wood takes care with her setting and makes life, as painful and joyful as it can be, realistic. This novel is a great examination of what it means to come to terms with who you are and what it means to be true to yourself.” – Alex Myers, author of Revolutionary
267 pages, Paperback
First published September 4, 2014
9 people are currently reading
2741 people want to read
About the author
Jennie Wood
21 books96 followersJennie Wood is a nonbinary author, comic creator, and musician, currently living in Boston. They created the critically acclaimed, award-winning Flutter graphic novel series. Featured in The New York Times, Boston Globe, and on Law & Order: SVU, Flutter was named one of the best LGBTQ graphic novels of 2013 and 2015 by The Advocate. In November 2018, Dark Horse Comics published The Flutter Collection, all three volumes combined into one book. That collection won the Next Generation Indie Book award for best graphic novel of 2019.
Jennie is also the author of the YA novel, A Boy Like Me, which was a Next Generation Indie Book awards finalist, an INDIEFAB Book of the Year finalist, and one of Foreword Reviews’ 10 Best Indie YA novels for 2014. Their work can also be seen in The New York Times best-selling, award-winning FUBAR anthologies, The New York Times best-selling and Eisner award-winning anthology Love is Love, the Harvey-nominated 27, A Comic Anthology, and John Carpenter's Tales for a HalloweeNight.
More: jenniewood.com
Jennie is also the author of the YA novel, A Boy Like Me, which was a Next Generation Indie Book awards finalist, an INDIEFAB Book of the Year finalist, and one of Foreword Reviews’ 10 Best Indie YA novels for 2014. Their work can also be seen in The New York Times best-selling, award-winning FUBAR anthologies, The New York Times best-selling and Eisner award-winning anthology Love is Love, the Harvey-nominated 27, A Comic Anthology, and John Carpenter's Tales for a HalloweeNight.
More: jenniewood.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
November 8, 2015
Although I'm grateful for any trans representation in novels, I'm often disappointed when they end up reading more like informational brochures than stories. This one doesn't have that problem. It manages to convey some of the difficulties of life as a trans person (in particular, the sheer awkwardness of it - I could relate to that well) more subtly than other novels I've read. The characters are believable and interesting, so that I cared about them enough to want to know how their lives turned out. What else can you ask for in a novel? Thank you, Jennie Wood, for writing a story that makes me feel proud of myself and my identity. I'm sure I'll return to it again soon.
September 27, 2014
It is a rare occurrence for me to pick up a book and not want to put it down. I was never that way with any of the Harry Potters or even my favorite mysteries. I tend to find a comfort zone of reading 20-35 pages in a sitting and don't read every day. But those precious times when a book flows so incredibly well from chapter to chapter, I've managed to read a whole novel in only a couple of days. This was the experience I had reading my friend Jennie Wood's first YA novel, A BOY LIKE ME.
If you're interested in the writing process, Jennie has been on my podcast, Vodka O'Clock, to talk about what it was like for her to create the book. We explored as much as possible from the cover design to how delicately she handled the story of a transgendered protagonist when she herself isn't.
A BOY LIKE ME comes in around 300 pages and covers the teen years of Katharine "Peyton" Honeycutt. Throughout most of the novel, Peyton is unaware of his gender identity and struggles every day feeling like there's something wrong with his female body. The book boldly starts off with an 8th grade girl getting her first period at school while wearing a dress and fancy shoes her mother insisted on. She meets a new girl at school, Tara Parks, who convinces her to swap outfits for the day. Tara's body confidence and go-getter personality were as foreign to Katharine as her own female body felt. This is where the young romance story begins. It's Tara who gives Katharine the new name Peyton and I actually don't think there's ever an instance where Tara needs to choose either "he" or "she"; I'm pretty sure I only remember Tara saying "Peyton," "you," "we" or "us."
The reason Peyton's life is relatable as a character even for a reader who is cisgendered, is that so many people of any gender go through times hating their bodies and feeling that deep desire to be someone else. There's a seed in our guts that gets planted somewhere along the way as we grow up that germinates into a hologram making us believe we would only be happy if... if we could have that other person's life. It's not a trans-exclusive struggle but their inability to disguise their misidentified bodies is uniquely theirs and something cis- people should learn about to gain a bit of understanding.
Jennie puts Peyton through a series of obstacles as the character moves through high school. He's athletic but gets placed on the girls' teams. He changes for gym class in a stall instead of the locker area where all the girls are comfortable in front of each other. He moves through this life with a religiously misguided and oppressive mother who lays all excuses for her failures on Peyton's father leaving them. Luckily, readers get the reprieve on their hearts every time Peyton's fantastic Uncle RB is around; he is the best father figure possible and completely supportive without prying about what Peyton is going through. It's sort of a situation where certain people know Peyton is a male identity long before he does. The emotional roller coaster had me crying plenty of times. The love from Uncle RB was one thing but Peyton's relationship with Tara was constantly a battle until Peyton found his real self. The very real misconception many of the characters have towards Peyton is that "she's" a lesbian even though the word makes no sense to him since he feels like a boy in love with a girl. Even though Uncle RB is awesome about the whole thing, there are townsfolk and classmates who make it their mission to torment Tara and Peyton for being freaks and dykes.
What I liked about the writing style is that this is a story about regular people in a small town and Jennie Wood makes everyday moments into full chapters. It's a way of writing I'm not used to anymore. I think it's because so much of my reading material is unrealistic: funny murder mysteries, gruesome action-packed adventures, or characters with special powers. Sure, you can take super-powered characters and craft a very human story (as is prominently done in things like X-MEN) but it's never one hundred percent relatable. Spider-Man's Peter Parker might be considered one of the most "everyday" characters in comics, yet, he's a science genius in one of the largest cities in America. I can't relate to Peter Parker all that much. A scene of Spider-Man is not going to be like a scene from my life but a scene in A BOY LIKE ME easily can be. We have dive bars where bands play and that's pretty much the only thing to do if you aren't at a high school sports event. I haven't wanted to watch that since I was in the high school marching band so, no thanks, I'll stay home on Friday night. Otherwise, it's boring small town life with a movie theatre several miles away and shopping malls.
If you are willing to take on the emotions, I can't recommend A BOY LIKE ME highly enough. I read it in 2 days. I found myself wanting to finish whatever I was working on so I could get back to it as quickly as possible. Hopefully, anyone who reads my reviews understands that the Young Adult label is not a restriction on who would enjoy the book. It's more like a guide letting you know the main characters are young and that it's likely not appropriate for an 10 year old or younger. You should like what you like and don't let any loud mouth columnists make you feel bad for enjoying a YA book.
If you're interested in the writing process, Jennie has been on my podcast, Vodka O'Clock, to talk about what it was like for her to create the book. We explored as much as possible from the cover design to how delicately she handled the story of a transgendered protagonist when she herself isn't.
A BOY LIKE ME comes in around 300 pages and covers the teen years of Katharine "Peyton" Honeycutt. Throughout most of the novel, Peyton is unaware of his gender identity and struggles every day feeling like there's something wrong with his female body. The book boldly starts off with an 8th grade girl getting her first period at school while wearing a dress and fancy shoes her mother insisted on. She meets a new girl at school, Tara Parks, who convinces her to swap outfits for the day. Tara's body confidence and go-getter personality were as foreign to Katharine as her own female body felt. This is where the young romance story begins. It's Tara who gives Katharine the new name Peyton and I actually don't think there's ever an instance where Tara needs to choose either "he" or "she"; I'm pretty sure I only remember Tara saying "Peyton," "you," "we" or "us."
The reason Peyton's life is relatable as a character even for a reader who is cisgendered, is that so many people of any gender go through times hating their bodies and feeling that deep desire to be someone else. There's a seed in our guts that gets planted somewhere along the way as we grow up that germinates into a hologram making us believe we would only be happy if... if we could have that other person's life. It's not a trans-exclusive struggle but their inability to disguise their misidentified bodies is uniquely theirs and something cis- people should learn about to gain a bit of understanding.
Jennie puts Peyton through a series of obstacles as the character moves through high school. He's athletic but gets placed on the girls' teams. He changes for gym class in a stall instead of the locker area where all the girls are comfortable in front of each other. He moves through this life with a religiously misguided and oppressive mother who lays all excuses for her failures on Peyton's father leaving them. Luckily, readers get the reprieve on their hearts every time Peyton's fantastic Uncle RB is around; he is the best father figure possible and completely supportive without prying about what Peyton is going through. It's sort of a situation where certain people know Peyton is a male identity long before he does. The emotional roller coaster had me crying plenty of times. The love from Uncle RB was one thing but Peyton's relationship with Tara was constantly a battle until Peyton found his real self. The very real misconception many of the characters have towards Peyton is that "she's" a lesbian even though the word makes no sense to him since he feels like a boy in love with a girl. Even though Uncle RB is awesome about the whole thing, there are townsfolk and classmates who make it their mission to torment Tara and Peyton for being freaks and dykes.
What I liked about the writing style is that this is a story about regular people in a small town and Jennie Wood makes everyday moments into full chapters. It's a way of writing I'm not used to anymore. I think it's because so much of my reading material is unrealistic: funny murder mysteries, gruesome action-packed adventures, or characters with special powers. Sure, you can take super-powered characters and craft a very human story (as is prominently done in things like X-MEN) but it's never one hundred percent relatable. Spider-Man's Peter Parker might be considered one of the most "everyday" characters in comics, yet, he's a science genius in one of the largest cities in America. I can't relate to Peter Parker all that much. A scene of Spider-Man is not going to be like a scene from my life but a scene in A BOY LIKE ME easily can be. We have dive bars where bands play and that's pretty much the only thing to do if you aren't at a high school sports event. I haven't wanted to watch that since I was in the high school marching band so, no thanks, I'll stay home on Friday night. Otherwise, it's boring small town life with a movie theatre several miles away and shopping malls.
If you are willing to take on the emotions, I can't recommend A BOY LIKE ME highly enough. I read it in 2 days. I found myself wanting to finish whatever I was working on so I could get back to it as quickly as possible. Hopefully, anyone who reads my reviews understands that the Young Adult label is not a restriction on who would enjoy the book. It's more like a guide letting you know the main characters are young and that it's likely not appropriate for an 10 year old or younger. You should like what you like and don't let any loud mouth columnists make you feel bad for enjoying a YA book.
September 24, 2014
This book is the first book that I have ever won on Goodreads. I loved it, I totally loved it.
This book takes you through a transgender love story that goes through the akward years of middle school, high school and beyond. Tara Parks is a string girl who know what she wants. She meets Payton in middles school and the fall foe each other right from the start.
Things would be perfect if Payton was a guy, like she feels. Tara let's her know that what she is feeling is fine. She is always there to let Peyton know that he is the man that she wants.
This is the first transgender nook that I have ever read. I loved it and I will definitely be reading more trans books in the future.
This book takes you through a transgender love story that goes through the akward years of middle school, high school and beyond. Tara Parks is a string girl who know what she wants. She meets Payton in middles school and the fall foe each other right from the start.
Things would be perfect if Payton was a guy, like she feels. Tara let's her know that what she is feeling is fine. She is always there to let Peyton know that he is the man that she wants.
This is the first transgender nook that I have ever read. I loved it and I will definitely be reading more trans books in the future.
January 25, 2015
I really, really love this novel.
This is a story about a boy becoming a man, starting with his humiliating experiences with menarche. It's amazing what a difference that one little detail makes.
It's a familiar story that we know and love, but with so much more at stake. Like a lot of young men coming of age, Peyton has an absent father, a distracted mother who doesn't understand him, a disgusting high school bully after him, a woman he aches for, and a community in which he struggles to find his place. He does the things adolescent boys do in these circumstances: he quietly pays his mother's bills with money he earns from working, he lashes out at the people who love him and are trying to help. He gets into fights and takes beatings that would hardboiled detectives faint. He says all the wrong things in the name of personal responsibility and accidentally hurts the people he's trying to protect.
The difference is that Peyton, as a transgender boy who is struggling even to discover that identity, has all of society working against him. Even the more progressive-minded people in his town fail to understand who he really is and constantly mis-identify him.
Reading Peyton's story broke my heart at least once every chapter. He wants to be a good man, the kind who chooses the right time to make a stand, who works hard and earns everything he has. He wants to protect and care for the people who are important to him. But how can he even stand up to the bigoted and malicious bullies (both of the high school variety and of the community leader and moral authority variety) who misgender him when he doesn't yet have the self-understanding to know that's what they're doing?
Becoming a good man is hard enough for any teenager, but it seems impossible for Peyton, who is made to feel like a corrupting freak for doing all the right things. Jennie Wood portrays each obstacle Peyton faces with such humanity, in Peyton's lovable, snarky but kind voice, that it is difficult not to cry during the most emotional moments.
It is a good story and it is told exceptionally well, but it is also an important story for us to read right now. Seeing what a devastating impact a few harsh words can have on a person's life makes it clear why we need to discuss transgender issues with sensitivity, empathy and understanding. A Boy Like Me does so, with its full-blooded and authentic protagonist. I particularly love that book closes with a list of resources, silently and without explanation. We know why, because we've been there with Peyton for 200 pages.
I wish I could meet Peyton and sit down with him for a beer. Given all that he's had to go through, I'm positive that he grew up to be a good man.
This is a story about a boy becoming a man, starting with his humiliating experiences with menarche. It's amazing what a difference that one little detail makes.
It's a familiar story that we know and love, but with so much more at stake. Like a lot of young men coming of age, Peyton has an absent father, a distracted mother who doesn't understand him, a disgusting high school bully after him, a woman he aches for, and a community in which he struggles to find his place. He does the things adolescent boys do in these circumstances: he quietly pays his mother's bills with money he earns from working, he lashes out at the people who love him and are trying to help. He gets into fights and takes beatings that would hardboiled detectives faint. He says all the wrong things in the name of personal responsibility and accidentally hurts the people he's trying to protect.
The difference is that Peyton, as a transgender boy who is struggling even to discover that identity, has all of society working against him. Even the more progressive-minded people in his town fail to understand who he really is and constantly mis-identify him.
Reading Peyton's story broke my heart at least once every chapter. He wants to be a good man, the kind who chooses the right time to make a stand, who works hard and earns everything he has. He wants to protect and care for the people who are important to him. But how can he even stand up to the bigoted and malicious bullies (both of the high school variety and of the community leader and moral authority variety) who misgender him when he doesn't yet have the self-understanding to know that's what they're doing?
Becoming a good man is hard enough for any teenager, but it seems impossible for Peyton, who is made to feel like a corrupting freak for doing all the right things. Jennie Wood portrays each obstacle Peyton faces with such humanity, in Peyton's lovable, snarky but kind voice, that it is difficult not to cry during the most emotional moments.
It is a good story and it is told exceptionally well, but it is also an important story for us to read right now. Seeing what a devastating impact a few harsh words can have on a person's life makes it clear why we need to discuss transgender issues with sensitivity, empathy and understanding. A Boy Like Me does so, with its full-blooded and authentic protagonist. I particularly love that book closes with a list of resources, silently and without explanation. We know why, because we've been there with Peyton for 200 pages.
I wish I could meet Peyton and sit down with him for a beer. Given all that he's had to go through, I'm positive that he grew up to be a good man.
Read
September 22, 2015Graded By: Brian
Cover Story: Gimme a Head With Hair...
Drinking Buddy: One of the Guys
Testosterone Level: Impotent Rage
Talky Talk: The Ugly Truth
Bonus Factors: Awesome Uncle
Bromance Status: The Bud Who Outgrew Me
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: Gimme a Head With Hair...
Drinking Buddy: One of the Guys
Testosterone Level: Impotent Rage
Talky Talk: The Ugly Truth
Bonus Factors: Awesome Uncle
Bromance Status: The Bud Who Outgrew Me
Read the full book report here.
September 21, 2014
Jennie Wood does a great job describing the struggles of a boy going through the struggles of puberty, complicated by the struggles of being in the wrong body. Wonderful story!
Thank you, Jennie Wood, for sharing this!
Thank you, Jennie Wood, for sharing this!
August 21, 2023
I loved this book... quickest book I have read a book in a while... it hit me in a why a book has been able to in a while, as a person who had troubles figuring out what I was it made me realize that you can only be true to yourself and do what you what you got to do.
March 26, 2015
Reviewed at: https://queenofteenfiction.blogspot.com
This story was everything I wanted it to be and more. Heart-breaking, heart-warming, and completely beautiful, I know Peyton’s journey will stay with me for a long time.
I was immediately interested in reading this book. It’s not often that I come across a story in YA that follows a transgender protagonist. I hope that in the future, it won’t be uncommon to find these stories. This book comes at such a prominent time after heart-breaking stories of real-life transgender teens have been in the media.
A Boy Like Me follows Peyton’s journey through high school as a boy trapped inside a growing woman’s body. He is confused and frustrated by emotions he can’t explain to himself. His mother wants the perfect daughter that he will never be, and their relationship falls more and more apart as the story progresses.
The relationship between Peyton and his mother is an important one. Reading it, you can’t help but feel desperate for him to get the acceptance he deserves from her, but it’s also a good way to show that he can be stronger and overcome it.
The scenes Peyton shared with his uncle RB added some well-needed warmth to the story. He was so supportive throughout and was one of the few characters that made sure Peyton knew he was loved regardless.
The relationship with Tara was beautifully written. This was also a new and confusing journey for her, and I loved how believable she was. She truly cared about Peyton and wanted him to be happy, and she was willing to learn how to make that happen.
The scene in which Peyton first learns about the term ‘transgender’ was both beautiful and heart-wrenching to read. It helps us to understand a little bit about what going through that sort of situation must be like, knowing that after feeling so much isolation he’s not alone and there are other people out there just like him.
What I really love about this story is how genuine it is. It doesn’t feel like the author is simply force-feeding information about transgender issues to the reader. It takes you on a boy’s personal journey and allows you to feel as though you are living alongside it, being a part of it and observing everything. It gives us a glimpse into what life must be like for someone who feels they don’t belong in the clothes they’re expected to wear, someone who feels like their own reflection is a stranger. Most importantly, it teaches us to accept who we are, and not to judge others for how they see themselves.
This story was everything I wanted it to be and more. Heart-breaking, heart-warming, and completely beautiful, I know Peyton’s journey will stay with me for a long time.
I was immediately interested in reading this book. It’s not often that I come across a story in YA that follows a transgender protagonist. I hope that in the future, it won’t be uncommon to find these stories. This book comes at such a prominent time after heart-breaking stories of real-life transgender teens have been in the media.
A Boy Like Me follows Peyton’s journey through high school as a boy trapped inside a growing woman’s body. He is confused and frustrated by emotions he can’t explain to himself. His mother wants the perfect daughter that he will never be, and their relationship falls more and more apart as the story progresses.
The relationship between Peyton and his mother is an important one. Reading it, you can’t help but feel desperate for him to get the acceptance he deserves from her, but it’s also a good way to show that he can be stronger and overcome it.
The scenes Peyton shared with his uncle RB added some well-needed warmth to the story. He was so supportive throughout and was one of the few characters that made sure Peyton knew he was loved regardless.
The relationship with Tara was beautifully written. This was also a new and confusing journey for her, and I loved how believable she was. She truly cared about Peyton and wanted him to be happy, and she was willing to learn how to make that happen.
The scene in which Peyton first learns about the term ‘transgender’ was both beautiful and heart-wrenching to read. It helps us to understand a little bit about what going through that sort of situation must be like, knowing that after feeling so much isolation he’s not alone and there are other people out there just like him.
What I really love about this story is how genuine it is. It doesn’t feel like the author is simply force-feeding information about transgender issues to the reader. It takes you on a boy’s personal journey and allows you to feel as though you are living alongside it, being a part of it and observing everything. It gives us a glimpse into what life must be like for someone who feels they don’t belong in the clothes they’re expected to wear, someone who feels like their own reflection is a stranger. Most importantly, it teaches us to accept who we are, and not to judge others for how they see themselves.
January 21, 2015
An incredible journey I feel like anyone can relate to who has felt like they don’t belong but are deserving of love. This story went straight to the heart and I didn’t want it to end. Tara and Peyton forever!
September 13, 2016
This is a novel about a trans guy named Peyton Honeycutt and his beloved cis female friend/lover Tara Parks. They meet in 8th grade in the girl's bathroom when Peyton is hiding from the world. He's just gotten his first men's issue (the GQ as I prefer to call it) and he's freaked out and doesn't want to deal with the actuality of bleeding or the implications in terms physiology. Tara is trying to get acclimated to another new school (her dad is in the military and the family moves a lot) and winds up in the same bathroom for very different reasons.
The opening scene is one with a lot of potential, though it's not entirely believable. Tara's new in school, and she's being introduced to a girl's bathroom by a shady guy giving her a 'tour' of the school, that involves some kind of making out in said girl's bathroom? Peyton's hiding out in that same bathroom for reasons already mentioned and he manages a pratfall that sends the shady guy flying and brings Peyton and Tara together. It's funny. It's weird. I didn't quite buy it, but I enjoyed it. There is a lot of chemistry between them from the start and Tara gives Peyton his name early on (Peyton is not the one on his birth certificate.) She seems to know before he does that he's a guy, or she is able to articulate his guyness for him in ways that he is not yet able to.
From here on in we have a lot of ice skating and slumber parties. Peyton and Tara both seem to come from white Christian families. They hang out with their two 'cool' friends, Jewish Rebecca, and Sammy, who is black. Rebecca and Sammy are not fleshed out and seem mostly used to move the plot along. There are half-hearted love-triangles and frustrating near misses with Tara and Peyton in the romance department. Peyton isn't great at talking about his feelings or desires nor does he have words for his gender dysphoria. He and Tara are doing this awkward dance between friendship and romance. Both Peyton's mother and Tara's are on the controlling/abusive spectrum and make it pretty hard for Peyton and Tara to be themselves, explore their identities or explore their connection. Mr. Parks and Peyton's uncle are super supportive and, well, that makes the story breathable and livable.
Peyton works at his uncle's music store and he and Tara play music together and that adds some dimensionality to the book.
There's some added drama that seems to take the place of another kind of fullness this book doesn't have. I was frustrated sometimes with the prose and the not terribly filled-out characters, and the sometimes overly-done plot twists (Tara's father's situation, so as not to say anything too spoilerific) and I can't say that I would have read this book if it didn't happen to be about two teenagers trying to navigate love and transness.
Hard to rate this one. I think in terms of the quality of the book as a piece of art, I give it a 2.5 or so. But, because it was nice to read a YA book with a transmasculine protagonist who not only lives, but thrives, and because I'm glad that it exists for trans and/or queer teens who could really use some material out there with happy enough endings, I'm giving it a 4.
The opening scene is one with a lot of potential, though it's not entirely believable. Tara's new in school, and she's being introduced to a girl's bathroom by a shady guy giving her a 'tour' of the school, that involves some kind of making out in said girl's bathroom? Peyton's hiding out in that same bathroom for reasons already mentioned and he manages a pratfall that sends the shady guy flying and brings Peyton and Tara together. It's funny. It's weird. I didn't quite buy it, but I enjoyed it. There is a lot of chemistry between them from the start and Tara gives Peyton his name early on (Peyton is not the one on his birth certificate.) She seems to know before he does that he's a guy, or she is able to articulate his guyness for him in ways that he is not yet able to.
From here on in we have a lot of ice skating and slumber parties. Peyton and Tara both seem to come from white Christian families. They hang out with their two 'cool' friends, Jewish Rebecca, and Sammy, who is black. Rebecca and Sammy are not fleshed out and seem mostly used to move the plot along. There are half-hearted love-triangles and frustrating near misses with Tara and Peyton in the romance department. Peyton isn't great at talking about his feelings or desires nor does he have words for his gender dysphoria. He and Tara are doing this awkward dance between friendship and romance. Both Peyton's mother and Tara's are on the controlling/abusive spectrum and make it pretty hard for Peyton and Tara to be themselves, explore their identities or explore their connection. Mr. Parks and Peyton's uncle are super supportive and, well, that makes the story breathable and livable.
Peyton works at his uncle's music store and he and Tara play music together and that adds some dimensionality to the book.
There's some added drama that seems to take the place of another kind of fullness this book doesn't have. I was frustrated sometimes with the prose and the not terribly filled-out characters, and the sometimes overly-done plot twists (Tara's father's situation, so as not to say anything too spoilerific) and I can't say that I would have read this book if it didn't happen to be about two teenagers trying to navigate love and transness.
Hard to rate this one. I think in terms of the quality of the book as a piece of art, I give it a 2.5 or so. But, because it was nice to read a YA book with a transmasculine protagonist who not only lives, but thrives, and because I'm glad that it exists for trans and/or queer teens who could really use some material out there with happy enough endings, I'm giving it a 4.
March 4, 2015
Full disclosure: I'm friends with this author. :^)
Back when I was a yougin', I could count the number of books I read in a year that featured people of color on one hand. But at least those characters of color SURVIVED their stories (usually). If a character was gay (like 1 in a million books, it seemed), s/he was usually tragically dead or isolated by book-end. Even in fantasy (I'm looking at you, Mercedes Lackey) where, like its cuz sci-fi, the strict code of possibility was looser.
Enter "A Boy Like Me." A book with its feet on the ground and its eyes looking forward (some might say 'on the prize'), A Boy Like Me features a trans character who not only survives, but builds a space for himself in the community he grew up in. My favorite aspect of this debut YA novel has to be the supports that Peyton is so lucky/blessed to have as he transitions from a person cowed by his own ill-fit to someone with a place and a plan. Despite some hiccups and dramatic near-disasters, Peyton and the people who love him push past surviving to thriving.
Rivaling Peyton, I really dug Uncle RB for his steadfastness, gentleness, and his desire to grow with Peyton. Should you read this novel, be on the look out for him --he's a keeper. :^)
Back when I was a yougin', I could count the number of books I read in a year that featured people of color on one hand. But at least those characters of color SURVIVED their stories (usually). If a character was gay (like 1 in a million books, it seemed), s/he was usually tragically dead or isolated by book-end. Even in fantasy (I'm looking at you, Mercedes Lackey) where, like its cuz sci-fi, the strict code of possibility was looser.
Enter "A Boy Like Me." A book with its feet on the ground and its eyes looking forward (some might say 'on the prize'), A Boy Like Me features a trans character who not only survives, but builds a space for himself in the community he grew up in. My favorite aspect of this debut YA novel has to be the supports that Peyton is so lucky/blessed to have as he transitions from a person cowed by his own ill-fit to someone with a place and a plan. Despite some hiccups and dramatic near-disasters, Peyton and the people who love him push past surviving to thriving.
Rivaling Peyton, I really dug Uncle RB for his steadfastness, gentleness, and his desire to grow with Peyton. Should you read this novel, be on the look out for him --he's a keeper. :^)
September 26, 2014
I won this as a first reads! I loved this book. This was a wonderful love story about a confused transgender (Peyton) and a loving girl (Tara) who I wished we could get into her head also throughout the book! I will defiantly recommend this to anyone who loves a good love story.
Read
December 30, 2020Cross-posted from my blog where there's more information on where I got my copy and everything.
First things first, just for the record, I'm on the asexual spectrum, but I am cisgender, so I won't talk about this like I know anything about the experience of being trans, or saying that this is inauthentic or even if I believe it is authentic, since I'm not the person who gets to say that. And if at any point you think I'm totally messing up, feel free to comment (Anonymous is always on), or email me, or DM me on Twitter, or... you get the point.
For once, I think I actually know what rating I'm going to give this book before I get to the end of the review, and that pretty much is my summary here. I liked it a lot, but there were also a lot of storytelling choices that just did not work for me, and while my over-all reading experience was positive, those things were frustrating because they did throw me out of the story, and make me notice the writing more, and that lowers my over all rating. We'll get into that as we go on!
Plot Talk: The book stretches from eight grade to the end of high school, and that's actually something that threw me off. I thought it was going to be set solely in middle school, and instead, a lot of time passes very quickly. In the few two chapters, a full year passes. This causes a lot of things to be glossed over that could be really interesting. Then at the same time, Peyton would be say something, and his friends would be like, "You didn't tell us that," and meanwhile I'd be like, "You didn't tell ME that either! When did that happen?"
The plot is basically described in the summary, although it's not my favourite summary. It's basically a coming of age, discovering yourself story, which is fine. But there are times when it felt like it focused on things that were mostly set-up, and ignored things that could have been really big conflicts. How much time passes in the book also makes it feel rushed, especially at the beginning when several years pass within the first few chapters.
Characters: Peyton is kind of clueless at a times, but in a sweet way, most of the time. He's really bad with girls. Seriously, the poor guy is a mess when it comes to dating, which obviously you can't blame him for with everything he's got going on. Sometimes, though, though, his motivations and characterizations didn't seem quite as fleshed out as they could have been. I did really love the music angle. There's so much stuff about music in here, and it's great to see the moments where Peyton gets to shine. And this is a bit of a spoiler so skip it if you want, but I also really enjoyed that Peyton got a GED, because that happens very rarely in YA, in my experience. Showing alternative paths of life education-wise is a really nice touch.
I wasn't so in love with Tara. She got kind of MPDG at times. Sometimes I just didn't believe that she would be acting in ways she was acting. It seemed more fantasy-girl than real girl. And it's not like girls can't do things that are sexual, or whatever, but maybe it was because we didn't get POV from her, it just wasn't the most believable thing. A ton of the plot is just based on the romance, too, which at times can get a little frustrating.
Meanwhile, both their mothers were terrible, but Peyton had a few great members of his family, and I really liked that he had a positive therapy experience. You guys know how I feel about therapy in books. The other characters also felt very authentically small-town, bigots and all. Which sounds terrible, but I live in a small town, and that's a reality.
PG-13 stuff: There's a fair amount of language, including several slurs (although not the one you'd expect considering the subject matter), violence including Peyton being attacked for being trans, a sex scene, and a brief time when Peyton becomes somewhat suicidal, and that is talked about a fair bit. There is also an abortion that is handled incredibly well. Which is not to say any of these things are to have, just so you know about those things going in.
Cons, complaints, bad stuff, etc.: The rushing is probably the biggest thing. Especially at the beginning of the book when you're supposed to be establishing stuff still, that is just frustrating.
There are two specific instances where I know things from reading and listening to people who know much more than me that I want to point out. At one point, Peyton's therapist defines transgender as meaning "you feel your gender identity is the opposite of the in which you were born", and I feel like that erases people who don't fall into the gender binary. There are many more than just two genders, and opposite is very binary language.
And I will say this with confidence - Peyton binds with elastic bandages, which is apparently what the book the therapist gave him recommended.
DON'T DO THAT.
It can seriously injure you, like deform your ribs and stuff. That is a really bad idea, and a book published in 2014 should know better. I was really disappointed to read that.
Cover comments: I like the cover. It's slightly cut-off here, but it's a good cover. I like that you never see Peyton's face, so it leaves a lot to the imagination, and I love the stars and how beautiful they are. I love galaxy stuff.*
Conclusion: Like I said, I liked this one. The story was really good, especially once it settled down and stopped skipping around. The rushing and the skipping was what I had the most problem with. I also thought the heavy pop culture mentions could get a little dated, but at the same time, many of them worked in context. (Although while mentioning Davis Bowie is clever, it kind of changes now that he's died.) Peyton is a very easy character to like, and he had a pretty unique story arc.
I'm going to put this out there, though - I wonder about how different this is from other books in the same vein. I think he has an interesting story just in the fact that he takes a different education/career path, and a lot of the book is about the romance. There's not really a huge moment of Peyton "coming out", more like a slow gradual process. Again, I'm not sure about this one, so I'm putting these out here as questions, not statements. These are things that I'm curious about how other people feel.
So my rating here of three roses is not based on that aspect, but on the rushing that happens at times, and somewhat on Tara's characterization. This almost feels like something that is an earlier draft of something that could have been amazing with more editing. As it is, it is good. Not amazing, but good, and I enjoyed it. Definitely worth checking out.
Other notes:
- Although it keeps making me think, like "universe in his head", and then I just read another book where music was a big thing, and some of that music was like church music, so my head keeps going to that "He's got the whole world in His hands", and guys, how do I know that song? I've never been to church or Sunday school or whatever in my life.
- The font in this is like identical to a book I had as a kid called Parents From Space, which I loved so much. There's probably a metaphor in there somewhere.
- I forgot to mention this, but the formatting in this had a few wonky moments, like places where the indenting would be messed up, or the last sentences in a paragraph was justified, so there'd be weird gaps in the line.
First things first, just for the record, I'm on the asexual spectrum, but I am cisgender, so I won't talk about this like I know anything about the experience of being trans, or saying that this is inauthentic or even if I believe it is authentic, since I'm not the person who gets to say that. And if at any point you think I'm totally messing up, feel free to comment (Anonymous is always on), or email me, or DM me on Twitter, or... you get the point.
For once, I think I actually know what rating I'm going to give this book before I get to the end of the review, and that pretty much is my summary here. I liked it a lot, but there were also a lot of storytelling choices that just did not work for me, and while my over-all reading experience was positive, those things were frustrating because they did throw me out of the story, and make me notice the writing more, and that lowers my over all rating. We'll get into that as we go on!
Plot Talk: The book stretches from eight grade to the end of high school, and that's actually something that threw me off. I thought it was going to be set solely in middle school, and instead, a lot of time passes very quickly. In the few two chapters, a full year passes. This causes a lot of things to be glossed over that could be really interesting. Then at the same time, Peyton would be say something, and his friends would be like, "You didn't tell us that," and meanwhile I'd be like, "You didn't tell ME that either! When did that happen?"
The plot is basically described in the summary, although it's not my favourite summary. It's basically a coming of age, discovering yourself story, which is fine. But there are times when it felt like it focused on things that were mostly set-up, and ignored things that could have been really big conflicts. How much time passes in the book also makes it feel rushed, especially at the beginning when several years pass within the first few chapters.
Characters: Peyton is kind of clueless at a times, but in a sweet way, most of the time. He's really bad with girls. Seriously, the poor guy is a mess when it comes to dating, which obviously you can't blame him for with everything he's got going on. Sometimes, though, though, his motivations and characterizations didn't seem quite as fleshed out as they could have been. I did really love the music angle. There's so much stuff about music in here, and it's great to see the moments where Peyton gets to shine. And this is a bit of a spoiler so skip it if you want, but I also really enjoyed that Peyton got a GED, because that happens very rarely in YA, in my experience. Showing alternative paths of life education-wise is a really nice touch.
I wasn't so in love with Tara. She got kind of MPDG at times. Sometimes I just didn't believe that she would be acting in ways she was acting. It seemed more fantasy-girl than real girl. And it's not like girls can't do things that are sexual, or whatever, but maybe it was because we didn't get POV from her, it just wasn't the most believable thing. A ton of the plot is just based on the romance, too, which at times can get a little frustrating.
Meanwhile, both their mothers were terrible, but Peyton had a few great members of his family, and I really liked that he had a positive therapy experience. You guys know how I feel about therapy in books. The other characters also felt very authentically small-town, bigots and all. Which sounds terrible, but I live in a small town, and that's a reality.
PG-13 stuff: There's a fair amount of language, including several slurs (although not the one you'd expect considering the subject matter), violence including Peyton being attacked for being trans, a sex scene, and a brief time when Peyton becomes somewhat suicidal, and that is talked about a fair bit. There is also an abortion that is handled incredibly well. Which is not to say any of these things are to have, just so you know about those things going in.
Cons, complaints, bad stuff, etc.: The rushing is probably the biggest thing. Especially at the beginning of the book when you're supposed to be establishing stuff still, that is just frustrating.
There are two specific instances where I know things from reading and listening to people who know much more than me that I want to point out. At one point, Peyton's therapist defines transgender as meaning "you feel your gender identity is the opposite of the in which you were born", and I feel like that erases people who don't fall into the gender binary. There are many more than just two genders, and opposite is very binary language.
And I will say this with confidence - Peyton binds with elastic bandages, which is apparently what the book the therapist gave him recommended.
DON'T DO THAT.
It can seriously injure you, like deform your ribs and stuff. That is a really bad idea, and a book published in 2014 should know better. I was really disappointed to read that.
Cover comments: I like the cover. It's slightly cut-off here, but it's a good cover. I like that you never see Peyton's face, so it leaves a lot to the imagination, and I love the stars and how beautiful they are. I love galaxy stuff.*
Conclusion: Like I said, I liked this one. The story was really good, especially once it settled down and stopped skipping around. The rushing and the skipping was what I had the most problem with. I also thought the heavy pop culture mentions could get a little dated, but at the same time, many of them worked in context. (Although while mentioning Davis Bowie is clever, it kind of changes now that he's died.) Peyton is a very easy character to like, and he had a pretty unique story arc.
I'm going to put this out there, though - I wonder about how different this is from other books in the same vein. I think he has an interesting story just in the fact that he takes a different education/career path, and a lot of the book is about the romance. There's not really a huge moment of Peyton "coming out", more like a slow gradual process. Again, I'm not sure about this one, so I'm putting these out here as questions, not statements. These are things that I'm curious about how other people feel.
So my rating here of three roses is not based on that aspect, but on the rushing that happens at times, and somewhat on Tara's characterization. This almost feels like something that is an earlier draft of something that could have been amazing with more editing. As it is, it is good. Not amazing, but good, and I enjoyed it. Definitely worth checking out.
Other notes:
- Although it keeps making me think, like "universe in his head", and then I just read another book where music was a big thing, and some of that music was like church music, so my head keeps going to that "He's got the whole world in His hands", and guys, how do I know that song? I've never been to church or Sunday school or whatever in my life.
- The font in this is like identical to a book I had as a kid called Parents From Space, which I loved so much. There's probably a metaphor in there somewhere.
- I forgot to mention this, but the formatting in this had a few wonky moments, like places where the indenting would be messed up, or the last sentences in a paragraph was justified, so there'd be weird gaps in the line.
April 17, 2023
This was really engrossing, I read it in one sitting. We follow Peyton, as he gets his first period, has a crush on Tara, works in his Uncle’s record shop and struggles with his relationship with his mother. His father has recently left her, she lays around all day watching soap operas and forces Peyton to wear girl’s clothes. As the novel opens, Peyton gets his period and feels uncomfortable in a dress, Tara gives him a sanitary pad and swaps clothes with him – she is wearing her brothers clothes, as he mother refuses to buy her new clothes until she has lost weight. This is the start of Peyton understanding himself and his sexuality. In this teenage coming of age story we follow him as he struggles in his conservative town, with only few adult allies, including his uncle, his music teacher and Tara’s dad. I found this really enjoyable and liked the focus on Peyton’s emotions and self-discovery, rather than his transition. The writing was unremarkable, but the story and the characters carried this book.
Read
March 19, 2015DNF @ 83 pages
I wanted to like this book more than it was willing to try to get me to like it.
I stopped at page 83. My grandma told me to give a book 100 pages minus my age to give you a reason to keep reading. Since I'm 18, I gave this book 82 pages to prove me wrong in putting it down (and decided to finish the chapter for good reason). Unfortunately, it didn't.
A Boy Like Me could've been a great opportunity for Jennie Wood to write a great book about a transsexual teenager. While I do appreciate the fact that this book features such a diverse character, and while I think more YA literature needs characters like Peyton (born Katharine), A Boy Like Me could've used another round of edits or two. And I don't just mean grammatically, because I didn't catch any typos; I mean content-wise, larger-scale edits.
I'm going to be honest: the summary hooked me. And unfortunately, the book didn't deliver. The writing was stilted and juvenile, and the characters were one-dimensional. Even the trans protagonist, who I expected to be layered, was flat. The plot didn't hook me, although it did inspire remorse in me toward the reactions of the conservative family, which is something, I guess.
(Also, I skipped to the last page and read it after I DNF'd. It was cute. As hell.)
I wanted to like this book more than it was willing to try to get me to like it.
I stopped at page 83. My grandma told me to give a book 100 pages minus my age to give you a reason to keep reading. Since I'm 18, I gave this book 82 pages to prove me wrong in putting it down (and decided to finish the chapter for good reason). Unfortunately, it didn't.
A Boy Like Me could've been a great opportunity for Jennie Wood to write a great book about a transsexual teenager. While I do appreciate the fact that this book features such a diverse character, and while I think more YA literature needs characters like Peyton (born Katharine), A Boy Like Me could've used another round of edits or two. And I don't just mean grammatically, because I didn't catch any typos; I mean content-wise, larger-scale edits.
I'm going to be honest: the summary hooked me. And unfortunately, the book didn't deliver. The writing was stilted and juvenile, and the characters were one-dimensional. Even the trans protagonist, who I expected to be layered, was flat. The plot didn't hook me, although it did inspire remorse in me toward the reactions of the conservative family, which is something, I guess.
(Also, I skipped to the last page and read it after I DNF'd. It was cute. As hell.)
October 2, 2014
4.0 out of 5 stars A well- rendered portrait.
A Boy Like Me is an important addition to the LBGT YA category of books. There are few books out now dealing with transgender issues in teens, and even fewer novels from a first person perspective. I'd have loved to give A Boy Like Me five stars, But I found it lacking in a few key areas. The main character, Peyton, was well-written and truly believable, especially in her interactions with and emotional turmoil with her first and only real love Tara. But I was pulled out of the story somewhat by wondering about her emotional response to several of the events in her life. i found myself wondering things like how did Peyton feel about paying all the bills for the household? How did a teen barely in high school make enough money to do that? How did she really feel about her father walking out so abruptly?
The book started a little slowly for me and I almost put it down. I'm glad I didn't, because once Jennie Wood really got going with Peyton's story i was totally captivated. There's one book out there now that I feel really captures the feelings of a girl dealing with her own transgender issues and that's Beautiful Music for Ugly Children. Jennie Wood comes close in her first novel. I look forward to her second one.
Read
February 16, 2015Katherine Honeycutt meets Tara Parks on the worst day of her life – the day of her first period. Tara dubs Katherine ‘Peyton’ and Peyton quickly falls in love with Tara, and is determined to win her love. Peyton has always felt as if the body in which he was born was wrong, itchy like ill-fitting clothing. Yet Peyton knows nothing about what this wrong feelings means or there is something he can do about it. With Tara’s friendship, Peyton feels like he can conquer the world. Thankfully Peyton does have some supportive people in his life, like his Uncle RB. As Peyton grows up, he realizes who he needs to be. A BOY LIKE ME is a beautiful story about growing to accept yourself and your place in the world. I felt for Peyton, a lot, because it’s hard enough being a teenager in the correct body. I can’t even imagine growing up feeling as if you don’t fit into your own skin - literally. The writing style is vivid and creates characters, as well as events, which readers can recognize in their own lives. A BOY LIKE ME is a book which needs to be read by all, cis- and trans-gendered alike.
January 20, 2016
Exactly one year ago I finished reading this book. Haven't said anything about it yet other than giving it a 5 star rating, so here are my five cents about this lovely piece of young adult fiction.
I remember ordering this book because I had seen it on a list of newly pubished lgbt books. The title sounded intriguing and the cover is just marvellous. That being said I had no expectations whatsoever how this book is going to be like. What I ended up reading did surprise me in the best way.
This is a story about growing up. It's a story about adolescence and thus it is a story about young silly love. And of course it wouldn't be young adult fiction if it wasn't a story of discovery, identity, rebellion and of course of becoming yourself and finding out what you as a person aspire to be.
As you can read in the description it is a story about a trans boy and his way of learning about this gender identity and embracing it, but that alone didn't make the story so fantastic to me. What made it so special was the fact that it's told in such an ordinary way. He's a teenager, he has issues just like anyone else at his age (just that his have to do with something else). Of course there are mentions of how e.g his mom reacts, but their emotional state and confusion is not the focus of the story it's about the trans person and it's great.
I rolled my eyes at this book thinking ugh, teenagers!, I laughed and cried and I yelled at fictional idiots (the usual).
《 that's why this book is amazing, because it's ordinary 》
I remember ordering this book because I had seen it on a list of newly pubished lgbt books. The title sounded intriguing and the cover is just marvellous. That being said I had no expectations whatsoever how this book is going to be like. What I ended up reading did surprise me in the best way.
This is a story about growing up. It's a story about adolescence and thus it is a story about young silly love. And of course it wouldn't be young adult fiction if it wasn't a story of discovery, identity, rebellion and of course of becoming yourself and finding out what you as a person aspire to be.
As you can read in the description it is a story about a trans boy and his way of learning about this gender identity and embracing it, but that alone didn't make the story so fantastic to me. What made it so special was the fact that it's told in such an ordinary way. He's a teenager, he has issues just like anyone else at his age (just that his have to do with something else). Of course there are mentions of how e.g his mom reacts, but their emotional state and confusion is not the focus of the story it's about the trans person and it's great.
I rolled my eyes at this book thinking ugh, teenagers!, I laughed and cried and I yelled at fictional idiots (the usual).
《 that's why this book is amazing, because it's ordinary 》
March 7, 2020
There were a lot of things that I wanted to love about this book (and some that I did). I haven't found as many books with transgender male characters, so that was something I enjoyed about this book. It was also great to have a character who is in the process of understanding his gender identity because as a transman myself who came to that realization later in life because I didn't have the understanding, it was really helpful to see a character who is struggling with the same sorts of questions and knows that there is something about his identity that doesn't line up with how others see him but doesn't have the words to describe what that something is.
The main reason I gave this three stars is because at the end, there is a part that concerns me - namely the discussion around binding and using an elastic bandage to bind. This book is copyright 2014 - the research was out there that binding that way is dangerous. If this was in the mid-2000's or earlier, I'd feel differently, but by 2014, that information was out there. Especially with limited books that include transgender male characters, that's a pretty significant concern to have included in the book because of the last damage it causes.
I feel like there's other thoughts I have but that's it for now. I may come back and update this later, once I've processed a bit more.
The main reason I gave this three stars is because at the end, there is a part that concerns me - namely the discussion around binding and using an elastic bandage to bind. This book is copyright 2014 - the research was out there that binding that way is dangerous. If this was in the mid-2000's or earlier, I'd feel differently, but by 2014, that information was out there. Especially with limited books that include transgender male characters, that's a pretty significant concern to have included in the book because of the last damage it causes.
I feel like there's other thoughts I have but that's it for now. I may come back and update this later, once I've processed a bit more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2015
Peyton's journey shows a side of the YA trans narrative too often unexplored. What if the young trans person doesn't know he/she is trans? How do you come to that awareness and acceptance? Peyton's story is remarkable, uplifting, and utterly worth your reading time.
December 8, 2014
Good for High School audience. A story that keeps your interest.
May 10, 2017
There was a great deal about this book that I loved, that rang true to me as a queer woman (though not trans). I also very much liked Peyton's inability to understand/categorize himself as male for a very long time, how the realization comes about organically and gradually. That's something I've often heard from my trans friends, many of whom didn't come out even to themselves until their mid-twenties at least. Uncle RB seems to be a crowd favorite, too, and I'm no exception--he was a great, quiet force for good in the book and an emotional anchor. I wish we had gotten to see more of the Background Diner Lesbians (tm?). Give me a book all about them!
That said, I had a few issues with the story and would be remiss if I didn't mention them. For one thing, I wasn't sure of the decision to make Tara's father gay; it seemed a little too neat and convenient, especially given how quickly and easily Peyton figures it out. I found both of the main characters' mothers to be disturbingly stereotyped in their insistence upon traditional femininity, and wished for more nuance there... female villains in a book about a transman disturb me somewhat, because I want to know that femininity is not a flaw, despite the protagonist's rejection of feminine identity. I also though the book lacked some focus, jumping from the protagonist's involvement in figure skating (abruptly dropped) to basketball (how did Tara get involved in basketball, coincidentally/independently from Peyton?) to music (where I found the most genuine meaning and beauty, and the author's experience clearly shines through). This may be a personal thing, but I'd also love to see a story someday about a transman who doesn't have a traditionally masculine (tall, lean, muscular) body and has to struggle with that. But that's a tangent and I can't blame one book for not representing every nuance of queer/trans life. I guess that's just proof we need more queer literature out there.
All that said, I finished this book in half a day and genuinely couldn't stop reading. It's fairly fast-paced and has emotional weight; it was even uncomfortable to read at times, which is a good thing. The protagonist's discomfort in his female body is palpable without being exaggerated, and the sense of peace he begins to attain at the end felt like a breath of air after a long time spent under water. I'm glad I got to experience that. The love story was also a pleasure to follow and I appreciate that Tara got to have other partners, and that her sexuality was never fully defined--that's always good to see. I also really liked their nontraditional path to a happy ending.
That said, I had a few issues with the story and would be remiss if I didn't mention them. For one thing, I wasn't sure of the decision to make Tara's father gay; it seemed a little too neat and convenient, especially given how quickly and easily Peyton figures it out. I found both of the main characters' mothers to be disturbingly stereotyped in their insistence upon traditional femininity, and wished for more nuance there... female villains in a book about a transman disturb me somewhat, because I want to know that femininity is not a flaw, despite the protagonist's rejection of feminine identity. I also though the book lacked some focus, jumping from the protagonist's involvement in figure skating (abruptly dropped) to basketball (how did Tara get involved in basketball, coincidentally/independently from Peyton?) to music (where I found the most genuine meaning and beauty, and the author's experience clearly shines through). This may be a personal thing, but I'd also love to see a story someday about a transman who doesn't have a traditionally masculine (tall, lean, muscular) body and has to struggle with that. But that's a tangent and I can't blame one book for not representing every nuance of queer/trans life. I guess that's just proof we need more queer literature out there.
All that said, I finished this book in half a day and genuinely couldn't stop reading. It's fairly fast-paced and has emotional weight; it was even uncomfortable to read at times, which is a good thing. The protagonist's discomfort in his female body is palpable without being exaggerated, and the sense of peace he begins to attain at the end felt like a breath of air after a long time spent under water. I'm glad I got to experience that. The love story was also a pleasure to follow and I appreciate that Tara got to have other partners, and that her sexuality was never fully defined--that's always good to see. I also really liked their nontraditional path to a happy ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2019
This review has a minor spoiler since it is not mentioned until the end of the book, but it is very minor.
This wasn't altogether a bad book, it was a little confusing at times with the jumps from one year until the next, I felt like lots of things could have been developed further. The reactions that characters had to them were a little slow and generic. Somehow, it still managed to be a compelling read, I sat down when I first bought the book and read the first 150 pages right there.
Here's the minor spoiler that bothered me a little: binding with bandages is not healthy. It can lead to damage to your ribs and lungs and that was never addressed in the book. It was hard to tell what era this book was set in, but since some characters used Iphones- I have to say that for the modern era there was a startling lack of concern about the bandage-binding. It was hard to believe given that he was reading a book on being trans and hearing people's interviews in it and he still wasn't warned not to bind with bandages.
While a little unbelievable at times (the lake house twist at the end anyone?) it wasn't bad and it was a good read for a few days. I will probably look for some interviews with the author to see if any of them have the same questions I do.
Three stars
This wasn't altogether a bad book, it was a little confusing at times with the jumps from one year until the next, I felt like lots of things could have been developed further. The reactions that characters had to them were a little slow and generic. Somehow, it still managed to be a compelling read, I sat down when I first bought the book and read the first 150 pages right there.
Here's the minor spoiler that bothered me a little: binding with bandages is not healthy. It can lead to damage to your ribs and lungs and that was never addressed in the book. It was hard to tell what era this book was set in, but since some characters used Iphones- I have to say that for the modern era there was a startling lack of concern about the bandage-binding. It was hard to believe given that he was reading a book on being trans and hearing people's interviews in it and he still wasn't warned not to bind with bandages.
While a little unbelievable at times (the lake house twist at the end anyone?) it wasn't bad and it was a good read for a few days. I will probably look for some interviews with the author to see if any of them have the same questions I do.
Three stars
April 20, 2018
3.5
I thought the book read as immature at first; I felt like I was reading a book written for middle schoolers. As the pages went on and as we progressed through the protgonists' teen years, the writing became more mature. I'm not sure if this was intentional.
My only big grievance of this book is that it lacked proper research on trans issues. I'm FTM myself and this book promoted one of the most harmful, dangerous ideas to FTM trans people-binding with bandages. NEVER BIND WITH BANDAGES. It can crack ribs and deform your body. The protagonist says he learned how to in an informational FTM book which is not realistic, no trans friendly book would promote it.
Other than that, the book was a pretty average, sweet love story with a somewhat likable protagonist. Easy to read and I'm sure it's deeply interesting to people outside of the LGBT community, but for those of us in it.... it's ok, nothing new or groundbreaking.
I thought the book read as immature at first; I felt like I was reading a book written for middle schoolers. As the pages went on and as we progressed through the protgonists' teen years, the writing became more mature. I'm not sure if this was intentional.
My only big grievance of this book is that it lacked proper research on trans issues. I'm FTM myself and this book promoted one of the most harmful, dangerous ideas to FTM trans people-binding with bandages. NEVER BIND WITH BANDAGES. It can crack ribs and deform your body. The protagonist says he learned how to in an informational FTM book which is not realistic, no trans friendly book would promote it.
Other than that, the book was a pretty average, sweet love story with a somewhat likable protagonist. Easy to read and I'm sure it's deeply interesting to people outside of the LGBT community, but for those of us in it.... it's ok, nothing new or groundbreaking.
June 21, 2018
I just happened to sit down in a comfy chair at the library to look over the books I'd grabbed from the New Books shelf, and noticed this book, also new, in the Teen area, so I picked it up as well, and took it home. A recent class on Gender has sensitized me to the plethora of possibilities. This book follows into that path. High school student Peyton (born as Katherine) meets new girl in school Tara in the girls' restroom, on the day his period starts. Peyton's story of love, pain, fights, time with Uncle RB, making out with Tara in the band storeroom, paying mother's household bills - it kept me going to the end. Uncle RB sent Peyton to his "shrink", who provides a book about transgender men, that opens a new world of possibilities to him. Tara's father dies, she is pregnant by her band's drummer. Peyton drives with her to her abortion and stands up to her mother, saying I am the man who loves Tara.
February 29, 2020
very few books have transgender representation especially as main character, so that aspect was somewhat nice, we can learn more about their point of view, their difficulties and struggles
there's something very sweet and interesting in the story, but it's not the type of story I usually enjoy the most -> that why I gave it 3 stars
but for the people who don't get bothered with the romance aspect of books, it might be a very enjoyable and interesting read
there's something very sweet and interesting in the story, but it's not the type of story I usually enjoy the most -> that why I gave it 3 stars
but for the people who don't get bothered with the romance aspect of books, it might be a very enjoyable and interesting read
May 28, 2022
Reading Level: Pre-K-Grade 3
Tags: Self-Esteem-Fiction, Individuality-Fiction, Self-Esteem
Summary: There's more to being a boy than sports, feats of daring, and keeping a stiff upper lip. A Boy Like You encourages every boy to embrace all the things that make him unique, to be brave and ask for help, to tell his own story and listen to the stories of those around him. In an age when boys are expected to fit into a particular mold, this book celebrates all the wonderful ways to be a boy.
Tags: Self-Esteem-Fiction, Individuality-Fiction, Self-Esteem
Summary: There's more to being a boy than sports, feats of daring, and keeping a stiff upper lip. A Boy Like You encourages every boy to embrace all the things that make him unique, to be brave and ask for help, to tell his own story and listen to the stories of those around him. In an age when boys are expected to fit into a particular mold, this book celebrates all the wonderful ways to be a boy.
May 29, 2020
This was such a great book. It felt like a personal story rather than a textbook about what transgender is. I loved the romance as it has soulmates tropes it’s so nice. And also his friends trying to be educated was so sweet. I also loved how he had a support system and touched on the struggles people who havnt figured out who they are go through. I loved all of it
December 11, 2024
I loved this book! I’ve just recently gotten into reading more. It’s truly a story about a boy trying to figure himself out. Also, considering this book came out 10 years ago, I think it holds up pretty well. Also it’s hard to find FTM/F YA books, and this book will have a warm place in my heart. I really wish there was a second book.
June 20, 2023
This book is so real. Peyton is so relatable especially bc our transition time frames line up so well. The book is a lower reading level id say around middle school. I loved being able to read a book about a trans boy figuring stuff out.
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