The Other Boy
-
-
4.8 • 26 Ratings
-
-
- $7.99
-
- $7.99
Publisher Description
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.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
As far as his best friend, classmates, and baseball teammates know, 12-year-old Shane is a typical boy. Shane feels that way, too, but it's not the whole story. He takes hormone blockers to prevent the onset of female puberty, and he wants to start taking testosterone. Unfortunately, his divorced parents share custody, and although his mother is supportive, his father hopes this is a phase. Debut author Hennessey effectively depicts Shane's life as both ordinary and very particular. All adolescents chafe at parental control, but Shane's father can prevent him from taking the drug he needs to be the person he feels he already is. All adolescents keep secrets, but when rumors start about Shane, it's extra scary. While coping with his father, baseball rivalries, his first crush, and his friends' reactions, Shane keeps working on his graphic novel; illustrated excerpts show how it helps him work through fears and worries. It's another nice touch in a warm, realistic book that offers a sensitive take on a topic that's very much in the air. Ages 8 12.
Customer Reviews
This book is awesome
This book is awesome it clearly displays Shane’s feelings and all the details feel like your in the book experiencing all these things with Shane! Shane is a strong character who will inspire any transgender person or even any person who reads this book.
The other boy rating
This is my second favorite book at the moment, This book taught me a bit about how some transgender people's lives may be. I really loved this book and all of its twists.
Touching and Timely
I was so impressed by this emotionally stirring novel. Hennessey lovingly and carefully tells a timely story about the incredible challenges a trans child can face. But there are universal themes here we can all relate to... feeling like an outsider, keeping secrets, adopting false personas to impress others, and the agony of bullying. Highly recommended for both young readers and their parents.