"Transition is a journey of coming home to myself," writes Theo, using the common motif of journeys and wanderings to explain transition. But in a unique twist, self actualized queers are depicted with houses as torsos, to show how they have found home within themselves.

Theo's personal journey is rendered quite beautifully, the standard comic panels often broken up by sequences of splash pages to really depict the internal struggles and feelings as you transition and find yourself and the language to express yourself. Of accepting yourself and realizing you're not the only one who feels like this.

This book seems accessible to trans and cisgender readers alike, as Theo reassures readers they're not alone if they're on a similar journey while rendering their own in a way that anyone with an open mind can easily understand. I related to the struggles of being hemmed into the girl box or worse, the feminine girl box, and the unexpected joy of cutting your own hair, even as I never encountered Theo's issues with stylists that couldn't follow a hair cut request. And yes, I did have the experience of feeling a frission of joy myself when I saw a cashier in my area with they/them pin, much like how Theo hopes they'll inspire others with that simple act of being and loving themselves.

Being transgender is a radical act of self love, Theo states. And the more they accepted and loved themselves, the closer Theo felt to the people in their life.

I want to thank Harper Collins for the ARC so I could read something new for the Trans Rights Readathon this year before Trans Day of Visibility. I strongly urge anyone reading this to similarly pick up a trans book!.

This book does more outright telling than showing than I'd prefer in a memoir about their experiences, although I appreciate that this may be many people's first introduction to the concept of being nonbinary and therefore needing to flat-out tell them why certain things are important and meaningful. This feels best suited for a teenage audience, and I think readers who are curious about being nonbinary will learn a lot.

This was such a wonderful and uplifting story of self discovery! The poetic lines and meaningful illustrations in purple were beautiful. I also felt like I genuinely learned a lot from this graphic novel!

This YA graphic memoir is perfect for anyone who has ever felt different. Whether you are queer or not, trans or not, or nonbinary or not, this story will feel familiar. Although I loved reading this as a queer adult who likes to think I have myself mostly figured out at this point, this is an especially great read for teenagers or anyone else on a self-discovery journey. I loved the playful art style and fourth wall breaks while handling a deeper, more personal story. It felt like I was making friends with Theo along the way. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Homebody is the memoir of Theo's journey into traveling to and through their nonbinary identity.

I'm not crying, you're crying. This is a super honest look into Theo's journey of discovering their nonbinary identity. I related to this hard. I've never seen a portrayal of queerness so close to my own.

"We are all deserving of comfort and safety... a place to call home."

Homebody is for everyone! This book is perfect for anyone, there is something for everyone to latch onto in this book, because everyone wants to feel at home in their body. And it also gives a beautifully honest depiction of someone investigating their gender.

The illustrations were so expressive and the book just a wonderful celebration of being yourself.

Thank you HarperCollins Children’s Books and NetGalley for granting me access to this phenomenal eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love a good memoir graphic novel and Theo Parish’s Homebody was wonderful. It reminds me of a combination of Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe in terms of the journey through self exploration and Heartstopper by Alice Oseman in terms of the art style.

I think this is a great book to give to someone who is starting to learn about gender expansive identities. Parish’s graphic novel tells their journey exploring who they are from childhood to now is comforting to read. I really like the way that they explain a lot of terms in regards to gender identities. I love the beginning where they talk about how they try to be kind with themself and take their time on their journey to self-discovery. The illustrations of them wandering through a forest and sitting at different gender locations for a bit before trying something else is so peaceful. I loved it. There is so much pressure to figure out 100% who a person is immediately and I loved reading Parish’s memoir telling readers that you can take your time.

I think readers who are new to the queer community will feel like a friend is holding their hand saying, “hey, this is what I went through, you’ll have your journey, but here are the questions I asked, here’s how I found answers” and it’s just really lovely to read.

Also, the art style is so lovely. I love the way the soft colors used are slightly muted versions of the trans flag. I also like the way they draw themself as a house because their memoir is about learning to feel at home in their body. This is just a really hopeful memoir and I hope readers come away from it feeling less alone in their own journeys to self discovery.

Check this book out April 24!

5 out of 5 stars

Homebody is a graphic memoir about a nonbinary youth's journey to feel at home in their body. The work switches between specific stories about haircuts, friends and constraints of gender roles to poetic interludes with inspirational and heartwarming graphics. A beautiful work about the journey to be oneself with the metaphor of being at home woven throughout.

Never has a book about coming-of-age and exploring your gender identity been so sweet and caring. This was an enjoyable and uplifting read.

Thank to NetGalley for an advanced E-copy of this book.

Theo Parish's Homebody is a much needed title. The illustrations are smooth and enchanting. Parish's journey through the world of LGBTQIAP+ is well told and appropriate for middle age readers through high school. Their struggles are ones to which everyone can identify. The analogy through the illustrations of home and belonging are strong and on point.

A great graphic novel which journals Theo's journey to their self discovery. I like how simplified it was so all can see how things aren't always black and white, especially in the trans community.

They took a long while to figure themself out but who doesn't take that time to find their place in this world of confusion. I loved how accepting their friends/family were in this journey too. I think it really helped them along the way.

A really valuable perspective on the (or rather, a) trans/nonbinary experience. I think it’s an equally great resource for kids who are on their own journey towards defining their gender and for kids who need a window to understand what it’s like for their peers who are on this journey. Theo as a house is one of the cutest things I’ve ever seen; I really love the whole idea of being your own home if the “destination” of various predefined identities doesn’t work for you.

I highly recommend this title as an affirming and inspiring graphic memoir of Theo as they explore their gender identity, name and relationship with their body and making their body a home.
Bits of Theo’s life are alternated with panels of affirmations such as “just by being yourself, you inspire the people around you.”
It adds positivity and light to a story that could feel heavy or sad, especially to fellow queer folks but feels uplifting and hopeful while maintaining realism of the challenges one may face.
You’ll be rooting for Theo as they make their house into a home. The art style has a similar feel to the bold sketch style of Heartstopper and will instantly appeal to fans of the art. One of the best LGBTQ+ graphic novel memoirs I have read for teens, and any age human exploring their identity.

This was such a beautiful graphic novel, both in storytelling and illustration. It was so powerful and uplifting. I loved the idea of bodies being like homes and how some people might be comfortable with what they were given and some need renovations to feel like their authentic selves. Theo’s journey of self love and identity is such a necessary story and I think anyone who loved Gender Queer or the Heartstopper series will love this story too. The illustrations were just so cool and fit the story perfectly. I highly recommend this one and I’m so glad I got to read it!

TW: deadnaming, bullying, homophobia, transphobia, misogyny

Thank you to EpicReads for an advanced digital reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

Raw telling of one's journey of recognizing their nonbinary-ness. Grateful for their honesty. Somehow Parish makes this a sweet telling despite the personal struggles of trying to feel at home with yourself. Minimalistic calming color palette adds to the depth of the message. VERDICT Solid purchase for teen and adult libraries.

4.5 stars

This graphic novel memoir takes us through author Theo Parish’s journey with gender identity, from when they were a kid to a young adult. It’s a book about finding your home, figuring yourself out, and navigating the world when you don’t feel like you fit in.

In addition to traditional comes, there are journal entries interspersed throughout. Parish takes the reader through experimental haircuts, changing their name, and eventually finding something that feels like home.

Thanks to HarperAlley and NetGalley for an advanced copy of Homebody by Theo Parish to review! 2024 is going to be the year of YA graphic novels, I can just feel it. It felt like there weren’t a lot to choose from last year, but so far, I’ve read a lot of excellent ones coming out in 2024. This one included!

Homebody is pitched for people who enjoy Heartstopper and Gender Queer, and I’d honestly say it’s a good combination of those two books. It has the gender exploration elements of Gender Queer and the sort of feel-good quality of Heartstopper. If you enjoyed either of those, chances are you’ll enjoy this memoir!

What I also enjoyed about this is that it makes it clear that there is no one way to figure out your gender identity. You can try a bunch of different things until one feels like it fits! It’s just an overall positive reading experience, from the tone to the colors to the art style. Just a delight to read.

This will be a great resource for teens who may feel like they’re questioning their gender identity. It will help them to feel not so alone. But it’s also great for those that just want to learn more about gender identity or understand what a friend might be going through. It’s just a good resource in general.

Definitely one to add to any library collection!

An absolutely stunning graphic memoir of Theo Parish’s coming out journey. I truly loved this SO MUCH. Everything about this was beautiful - from the story to the panels to the lessons woven in throughout the narrative. It’s a wonderful journey of self love and making a home out of the shell of a house - about searching for sanctuary and creating a haven and being proud of the body you have.Almost every page I was gushing to my queer friends about how they Really Needed To Read It ASAP. Highly recommend.

Homebody is a graphic memoir following Theo through their ever changing journey of understanding who they are and their gender. It is a beautifully illustrated book, with sometimes simplistic style but a whole relateable style. I loved the small details given to some scenes and the choice of soft pastel color palete was a good choice.

This book offers nothing but acceptance for someone who may be struggling with their gender. While at times, it does come off a bit preachy and may not delve as deep as you want, it still highlights the struggle that many people face. More importantly, it tells people that it's okay and that no matter what there is a community who loves and respects you, which is something that we all need.

overall, because of the beautiful illustrations and overall message, it's a 4 out of 5.

The words I would use to describe this book are "wholesome," "heart-felt," and "life-affirming." I believe that everyone should read this book! It is one of those empathy-building books that focus on self-discovery and self-love, not the hard truths of feeling left out in the cis-hetero centered world. Yes, there is moments of feeling left out and sometimes struggling to fit in growing up, but there are also moments of profound joy when Theo figures out their sexual and gender identity and coming out to the people they care about in early adulthood. I loved the metaphor of Theo's body being a house (vs a home). This metaphor is used throughout the book and aids the reader in a deeper understanding of what it feels like to feel lost/disconnected from your true, authentic self.

The illustrations, the color palate, and graphic-art style aid in the author's ability to convey their own story on their coming out journey in a way that is focused on different aspects on their coming out journey (such as changing pronouns, dead names and renaming themself, figuring out how they want to present themself).

This book is a fantastic guide to the whole journey of being transgender and nonbinary, which is super important for teens and tweens to have access to. It covers everything from figuring out your identity to coming out and dealing with stuff like deadnaming. Sure, it might seem a tad overly optimistic and breezy at times, but it still touches on the realness of feeling uncertain and worried about judgment.

It's crucial to shed a positive light on this process, considering there are already way too many stories—both real and fictional—where things don't turn out so great. Plus, the art style is super cute and bubbly, adding to the overall light and easy vibe of the story.