A wonderfully grounded story of a boy who is adjusting to a school who is adjusting to him--the real him. Obie has a lot of great people in his corner, but that doesn't really take the sting out of his best friends being the ones who seem to have the hardest time with it. My only quibble with this book is that I felt Obie's voice was quite young at times, even for his age group, but that was more than offset but a sensitive and rich story and narrative. Highly recommended for all collections.

A heart-warming ride from beginning to end, "Obie Is Man Enough" is the kind of book that I wished I'd had in 7th grade. From Obie's sometimes-goofy, sometimes-poetic voice to how fleshed out his relationships are with his family members to navigating the good and bad of being a teenager, Obie's world felt vivid and immediate, the way I think we all remember feeling at that age. While his identity as trans is a focus of the novel, it's not the only focus--we get to see Obie exploring what friendships, mentorships, and budding romance mean for him, as well as his identity as a competitive swimmer and a Korean- and German-American. Each of these aspects make Obie a fully-realized character who readers can't help but fall in love with, and this depth and nuance extends to the other major and minor characters in the book. I will be buying copies of this book for each of my local libraries, as well as donating copies to the local middle and high schools--it's a profound coming-of-age book that teens of all backgrounds will find themselves resonating with.

This book was so good. I want to state that I am a cis female, so I don't know what it's like to be transgender or how someone who is transgender would take this book; however, I know for me, this book has the message that not every transgender person has the same experience. No two transgender people are alike. Obie isn't like August (Act Cool). Obie Is Man Enough sends the message that transgender people need to feel accepted for who they say they are as much as the next person. I love that Obie has supportive parents in this one in the midst of having to deal with a bully. I think the book also says something about toxic masculinity because it's only when Obie transitions that his best friend turns on him because he was romantically interested in him before.

4 stars

What a beautiful and moving story! My heart was broken at the beginning and put together again by the end.

Obie has recently transitioned, and even though he knew it would be complicated for some people around him to understand, his transition has had sadder repercussions than he expected. He had to leave his swim team, his pool, and his best friends. Luckily, his family supports him all the way, and he can count on them to help him through this difficult time in his life.

The book starts with two scenes that are really hard to read. Obie’s coach kicks him out of his swimming team because he is trans, and shortly after Obie starts suffering bullying in school. Being a middle grade book, I wasn’t expecting it to be so hard-hitting, but I’m glad it is. It shows the reader right off the bat how difficult life can be for a trans kid.

But besides that sad and very real element, it is a hopeful story. It’s a coming-of-age tale of Obie growing up, gaining new friends, having his first crush, and finding his place in the world. The protagonist’s voice is totally accurate for an almost-teenager, I connected with him quickly. His passion for swimming is present since the beginning of the book. And even though there are some toxic aspects of it that are dealt with in the story, it’s great to see him do his absolute best in the sport he loves so much. Obie can also be moody and sometimes a little bit rude with the adults around him, but overall he’s such a sweet kid. I wanted to hug him and tell him everything would be alright, but I was glad to see that his family were doing that for him.

It’s refreshing to see a book with a trans protagonist that has such a good support system around him. His family loves him, protects him and takes care of him. He is going to therapy and transitioning medically too. Even the school teachers and the principal take actions towards the bullies, something we sadly don’t see often in reality. So, in the end, there is a good balance between the hardships Obie goes through and the hopefulness of adults around him doing the right thing.

Obie’s family, in fact, play an important role all throughout the book. We see his relationship with his parents, with his chaotic older brother, and with his grandparents. His paternal grandparents are Korean, and it’s beautiful to see their culture and how they maintain some traditions, especially related to food. Obie is interested in knowing more about his heritage, about his grandparents’ lives, and the moments he shares with his halmoni are precious.

Another important theme of the book is friendship. Losing friends can be very hard, especially in the circumstances Obie is in. One of his best friends ends up bullying him, and his other best friend kind of abandons him when he needs her the most. But then we see Obie finding new people in his life that love him for who he is, no matter what, and I was so happy for him.

The ending is phenomenal. Not everything is resolved, because that’s how life works. But it’s amazing how the last chapter mirrors the first one and allows us to see how much Obie has grown in the last year.

Overall, I loved Obie Is Man Enough. It’s a beautiful coming-of-age middle-grade book with a trans protagonist fighting for what he loves, and it’s also a story about family and heritage, about friendship and hope.

When I saw this on NetGalley I knew I was going to request it.* I remember the news stories of Bailar joining the Harvard University swim team and being the first trans athlete to compete on any NCAA D1 Men's team and when I saw he wrote this I knew I wanted to read it.

The bulk of my LGBT reading is either MM Romance of some sort or nonfiction history/politics. There are a few Sapphic romances and a few with trans characters mixed in, but for the most part it's not very diverse when it comes to reading the entire rainbow so I was super happy when the publisher approved my request!

This book was so well written, I can't get over it.  I mean I wasn't expecting a bad book from a Harvard educated individual or from one of the big publishers, but everything worked. The characters were relatable and some of them grew while others didn't, the setting (once I figured out it was actually in Boston) was perfect and there were details you'd only know if you'd lived in Boston, and the ending wasn't the picture perfect happily ever after movie ending you might expect, but it was real.

And I did not know how to make kimchi. I lived next to MIT—I showed you building before, remember?' I not. Every time we go to H Mart, Dad points out Harabuhji's old apartment. Or I guess where it used to be. It used to be diagonal, across the street. Now it's a Target. (Chapter 13)

I mean sure you could Google Maps this, but I caught the bus and T from Central every day for a couple of years and I immediately knew where Bailar was talking about and could viscerally see it coming out of H Mart.

The way Bailar wrote about swimming in this fictional work reminded me a lot of how Murakami wrote about running in his nonfiction work What I Talk About When I Talk About Running. There was something so lyrical and beauty in the solitariness and quietude that came across in the various passages whether it was Obie swimming laps or during a noisy swim meet.

Sometimes I wonder why I've always felt safe in the pool, so exposed in my swim suit, despite all the difficulty I've had with my body. But this—this feeling I have in the water—this is why. When I swim, the only parts of my body I can see are my hands—and that's usually only out of my peripheral vision and only if I'm watching for them. Ninety-nine percent of the time when I'm swimming, I'm just swimming. I am the act of swimming itself, and that's it. I get to disappear into the movements, the water, the feelings. I don't have to be a body or a gender. I can just swim. (Chapter 16)

And connecting it directly to Obie's experience being trans and swimming to not having a body and just being part of the water removing the stressors of those around him was so beautifully written. I read the passage that included the above a couple of times to let it sink in.

The other connection that really brought the story home for me was Obie's relationship with his Halmoni (grandmother) and the Korean half of his family. There were so many moments where Obie wasn't sure what would happen and just had to trust that his family would be with him and support him. And they did, which as Bailar says in the afterward was a conscious choice. This fed into and contributed to one of the major themes of the novel around what is a man and masculinity. Obie found himself sometimes falling into "female" roles and worried that it was because his grandmother still saw him as a girl, but when really, she saw him as the youngest and he was going to have to do some things regardless of his gender because that was her cultue.

In all this time of repeating Bolton's words in my head, I realize that I have never once asked what being 'man enough' means. If someone is a man, aren't they just that—a man? And then it hits me: There is no man enough. There is just being a man. And winning has nothing to do with my manhood. (Chapter 33)

Obie's relationship with his peers was more complex and varied. I won't go into those relationships because those are so core to the story and I think talking about them would lessen the experience as you read them. None of what happened was surprising and I'm glad at least one character decided to change, the other one can go suck an egg. I still cannot decide if I liked the outcome with Obie's original coach, that the book opens with, but I did like that Obie stood up for himself and ended the final conversation on his terms.

If there is one thing I want to know that wasn't answered in the book, but also wasn't owed to me or to anyone, is why in the world Obie chose "Zechariah-Obadiah" as their name. If it was in the book, it's a big thing for me to have missed, if it wasn't in the book (maybe in the year that Obie refers to darkly a few times) and like I said even if it's not no one owes you the story of their name. It's more just curiosity about such an old timey name on such a young person ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

If there was one thing I wish was different in the book, it's that I wish the letters at the end of the book from Bailar to his cisgender and transgender readers were at the beginning. I understand why they didn't do this, because they spoil the story, but I think they could be pretty powerful in introducing the book too! In particular, these two notes to cisgender readers would've been powerful going into the book, especially the latter:

So many trans kids do not have what Obie has. So many parents are not as supportive, loving, and affirming, so many parents do not allow or have access to gender-affirming doctors, so many coaches are not supportive like Coach Larkin, and so on. I wrote this support and kindness for Obie because I wanted no barriers for you to understand Obie—and I wanted to prove the possibility and provide examples of this kind of love and acceptance is absolutely possible. (Author's note: 'For my cisgender (not transgender) readers—')

Obie would be no less valid if he were gay, no less valid if he were nonbinary or presented in an ambiguous way. Obie would be no less of a boy if he didn't wear traditional boys' clothes or wasn't an athlete. Obie would be no less trans or a boy if he didn't want to take testosterone or couldn't. (Author's note: 'For my cisgender (not transgender) readers—')

Other than that, I thought the story was perfect. From Obie's intersectionality and his being trans only being one facet of his identity to the relationships he builds and loses after coming out as trans all combine to make him the best man he can be. Seriously, the essay that Obie writes had me full on sobbing.

Recommendation: 100% worth the read. I can't get over how beautiful the story and the prose were. I flew through the book and there were definitely a couple of times I had to re-read passages because my eyes were too teary to take it all in or because they were so beautifully written that I needed to luxuriate in the passage for a bit longer. I'm so happy and hopeful for this next generation of LGBT youth that (should) have access to books like Bailar's to see what it can and should be like to be open and accepted. Ugh, there was so much I could've written about and I don't feel I did it justice, just go read the book.

*I received a copy of Obie is Man Enough from the publisher via NetGalley in return for my honest opinion. No goods or money were exchanged.

This is a strong book. Obie’s life has revolved around swimming. After he transitions, the coach of his swim team is unwilling to accept Obie is transgender, and Obie is forced to leave the team, including his two (former) best friends. On a new team, with a new coach and new teammates, Obie is not sure he’ll ever have the same friendships or support he thought he had before. But as he gets to know his new teammates and coach better, he finds a level of support he never before knew — giving him the confidence he needs to move to the next phase of his life.

This was a powerful story. Obie is a compelling character and, although his journey over the course of the story can be painful, this is ultimately a heartwarming book.

Highly recommended!

4.5 Stars

CWs: Bullying and physical assault; transphobia, deadnaming, and misgendering; transphobic, homophobic, and sexual slurs; some internalized transphobia and ableism; grief and death of a grandparent.

How do I even begin to describe my love for Obie is Man Enough? This middle grade debut is one that I know is going to change and save so many lives. I can say that with absolute certainty and with all the confidence in the world, because Schuyler's work as a trans activist has changed *my* life for the better, and that same work is not only celebrated but furthered in this incredible story.

I should start by saying that Obie is Man Enough is a challenging story at times. But what's important is that Obie's transness is never positioned as the challenging part. The story definitely explores transphobia and bullying, specifically, in unequivocal and realistic ways. While those scenes can be hard to read, especially as a trans person myself, I think the inclusion of that reality is necessary, not only because transphobia is often logistically and sometimes legally sanctioned (or even encouraged) in public spaces, but because "representation" doesn't just mean depicting the good things or the easy things.

Sometimes people think that the most "interesting" or most "important" part of being trans is realizing your transness or coming out as trans. But Obie is Man Enough addresses the far more pressing and compelling question: how do you *live* and *thrive* as a trans person?

In order to truly honor trans joy and trans triumph—which this story certainly does—you also need to honor the systemic and personal hardships and adversity our community continues to face by acknowledging them. To be a trans kid, especially, is to constantly face down people wanting to quantify or police your transness, or wanting to aggressively reassert your assigned gender over you as a means of "dissuading" you, and this story intimately understands that challenge. I also think the inclusion of those challenging scenes—and by extension, the discussions that stem from them—is necessary because they show young readers how to respond to those types of situations, whether it's seeking help from an adult or an authority figure or familiarizing yourself with other resources and forms of support.

On that same note, Obie is surrounded by an incredible support system, which is so important. Some people might say that having a story where a young trans boy is accepted, loved, and supported by every important important person in his life is quote-unquote "unrealistic." But my challenge to those people is: Why should it be? Why is supporting trans people, especially trans youth, so often outside of the scope of our collective imagination and how can we remedy that? The author speaks more on why he made that particular choice in his author's note at the end of the book, but even aside from that, it's imperative that we have working examples and models of genuine support, allyship, and acceptance.

These supporting characters who care about Obie, who see him for exactly who he is and actively want to see him succeed and be safe, can also provide a helpful model for trans allies. As important as it is to have good and nuanced trans representation—which again, this book definitely has front and center—it's also important for allies to see what healthy, practical, and supportive responses actually look like. It's important to see examples of how the people in Obie's life levy their privilege in order to help him stay safe when it's in their power to act.

Especially considering the bullying and gatekeeping that Obie is experiencing, those safe spaces—whether they be people or actual spaces—become all the more sacred as the story progresses. Though Obie is facing so many obstacles, he is never alone in facing them down, and that's what's most important. The story empowers young readers to know their rights, to establish healthy boundaries, and to familiarize themselves with their resources. Friends and family can be allies, teachers can be allies, coaches can be allies, administrators can be allies, doctors can be allies, mentors can be allies. Learning to recognize all the different places where that much-needed support can come from can make a huge difference in a trans kid's life.

I also really appreciate how the story challenges toxic masculinity, specifically in binary-gendered sports. The book begins with Obie's old coach verbally shaming him for being "weak" and proclaiming that he'll never be "a real man" unless he can beat all the other male swimmers in his age bracket—something this coach has deemed to be "biologically impossible." Obie definitely internalizes this message and pushes himself in training with the singular goal of "proving everyone wrong" and showing everyone that he "deserves" to swim with the other boys because of his skill. But as the story goes on, he realizes that being a good swimmer—and being a guy—can't be quantified by the amount of people you beat, but rather the diligence it takes to keep on going and to commit yourself to continuously learning and growing.

The story is also a powerful testimony to the fact that change is a natural part of life, whether you're trans or not. Obie is struggling to navigate fluctuating relationships in his life. He wants to give priority to his current friends and teammates, who are supportive and nurturing, but he's also dealing with his bully, Clyde, who used to be his best friend when they were kids, and also his friend Lucy, who has distanced herself since Obie came out as trans. There's a powerful opposite-moving parallel between these three characters, because as Obie transitions and becomes more and more himself, Clyde and Lucy are also "transitioning" in their own way as they go from being Obie's friends to being estranged and disconnected. All of these characters are changing as they grow up, but the changes Obie is going through as a trans person are hyper-visual and politicized in a way that most change is not. But that's the reality of growing up: some people grow towards the light, and some people grow away from it.

Obie's biracial Korean-American identity is also an integral part of the story that is so beautifully written. A big part of Obie's masculinity—which he gets to define for himself over the course of the book—is knowing and honoring his culture on both sides of his family. There's a tenderness and honesty to the way his family dynamic is written, and I think it's so incredibly important for trans youth of color to see examples of how their gender can be valued, honored, and respected within their culture and not in spite of it. Obie's family being supportive and open shows the possibility of acceptance (and not just tolerance) to trans youth who need it the most.

Overall, this book is just an absolute triumph! It covers so many topics—transphobia, toxic masculinity, family, friendship, culture, dating, social and medical transition, allyship, forgiveness etc.—while still weaving a cohesive and dynamic plot that will keep you rooting for Obie until the very last page. My one note is that sometimes the dialogue (from the adults, especially) can come off as a little too "educational," meaning that sometimes responses are set up a little *too* transparently as a "learning moment." While I think the content of those conversations is very much necessary, I think there are one or two places where those teachable moments could have been integrated a little bit more organically. But that definitely did not take anything away from the impact this book had on me.

Obie is Man Enough is a sensational, fully realized, deeply emotional middle grade story that is full of heart and sincerity. It shows trans kids, especially, that they are loved, they are valued, they are worthy, they are powerful, and they are needed. Whether you know a young reader or have a young reader in your heart who needs this story, it is not one to be missed.

"Obie is Man Enough" is a good coming of age story, and I think it is a good novel for LGBTQ children in need of support. I think it could also be useful for friends or family members to read to help them ne there for a loved one who is trans. I will be recommending this book to my library and to my mother to purchase for her classroom (she is a middle school teacher). I think it will help give support and understanding to my community, and I hope to help children feel that they are enough and loved as they are.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Children's, and Schuyler Bailar for the eARC of Obie is Man Enough in exchange for an honest review.

Obie is a thirteen year-old Korean-American trans boy who has to deal with transphobia from both coaches and peers all while navigating new crushes and the ebbs and flows of middle school and past friends.

This book brings so many facets of identity into one and pulled it off! It was great to see how Obie feels about his Korean-American identity and how he thinks about that in relation to his trans identity. The story had a great natural flow to it which always lead me to read more than I intended to. I was nervous with Obie during his swim meets and understood everything he was going through.

I'm glad the author added a note at the end of the book telling cis people that Obie's experiences aren't necessarily the experiences that all trans people go through. Obie was lucky enough to have a very supportive family that let him transition when he was young and supported him through the bullying and transphobia. I also liked that this book focused more on Obie living as a trans boy instead of him actually transitioning. There is a lot of rep that I see in books for people coming out and watching them transition, but that leaves a big gap for people who might be wondering what it's like to live as a trans person after being out for a while.

I wish we got a physical description of Obie closer to the beginning of the book. We get bits and pieces throughout the story, but we don't really get one until closer to the end of the book. His age is also not something that's really brought up until 20 or 30 pages into the book, and I feel like that's something that also could have been brought up sooner because of his transition timeline. He obviously would have been under different circumstances if he didn't start blockers when he did and we don't find that out until a little less than half way through the story.

I'd recommend this to anyone who wants to learn more about the trans experience or someone who is trying to figure out their racial identity and how that impacts other parts of their life. This book does a great job of finding the intersections of Obie's identity and exploring them. Please check trigger warnings before starting this book. Transphobia, homophobia, and outing are all topics that are brought up.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This book was cute! It was set near where I live so it was kind of fun to read something based so close to home (extra points always go to stories in Massachusetts!). I like the characters. Obie feels like a very authentic seventh grader (I remember it like it was yesterday!) and his struggles at school are very, very real. I remember being in seventh grade, where unstable friendships were our biggest issues and made the world feel so much worse. This is so true to being a queer kid in middle school, and Obie is a great narrator and a great character. In terms of storyline it wasn’t my favorite, and the writing was a bit young, but it makes sense since the narrator is a young kid!

4.5 Stars

Obie is Man Enough is an wonderful coming of age story by Schuyler Bailar.

This story follows Obie who's a transgender middle school student. His story is powerful, heart breaking, and also inspirational.

The writing is fabulous. It's flows great and the storyline will keep you riveted. The author excels in addressing many issues involved with being a transgender teen. And it's heart wrenching at times. The author writes with knowledge, care, and compassion. And also hope.

I love this story. I wish it didn't have to be told, but damn, the world needs more stories like this.

Obie's journey from being a kid with good friends and a great swimmer, to living his truth, while struggling, is extremely heartfelt and honest.

His experiences with an ass of a coach and his former friends had me wanting to just hug him and protect him. But through it all, Obie lives his truth.

Not all trans kids have a lot of support, but Obie does have some, which is fabulous. His story is similar to a kid I know personally, but not everyone is lucky enough to have parents like Obie's.

This is a story I'd recommend to anyone looking to read about a transgender teen's journey, or to learn more about the emotions involved with being trans. That said, although Obie's journey is tough and multi-layered, his parents are fully supportive. Obie's a child who was able to start on hormone blockers early on, and then adding T later. Not all parents are so wonderfully supportive.

Thus, if you're looking for a story of a trans teen who doesn't have support at home, skip this one.

But if you're looking for a story about a trans teen who's family is supportive, but the rest of his life is a struggle, this is for you.

And, honestly, one of my favorite parts is the way the author explores how Obie's friends feel. It's horrible, trust me, but I appreciate the thoughts that drive the friends.

Obie is Man Enough is truly a great read. Schuyler Bailar excels in capturing the pain involved with dealing with transphobia. This is one I highly recommend.

This is such a good book for young adults and teens. The representation in this book is so important!

I'm impressed by the fact that this just became one of my favorites books of the year.

Well then, this book is about Obie who is trans boy trying to prove himself that he is "man enough" to belong everywhere. After his coach kicked him out of the swimming team just because being himself he also loses his best friend because they don't wanna be around him anymore.

But this is just the beginning of the story, I found this book marvelously real, even though this is no my experience, the relationship between Obie an his brother is something I can relate to, the relationship with his parents and the bond with his teammates is really cool.

I was really touch by the fact of how the author talks about experiences through his book and all the speech about we don't need to prove anything to anyone but ourselves and how in the end we only need to be surrounded by the people who love us the way we our.

I would highly recommend this book to people who enjoyed books like All Boys Aren't Blue or (one of my favorites of this year too) Felix Ever After or just to everyone who enjoys queer stories.

Equally heart-breaking and uplifting, this middle grade novel follows Obie, a Korean American transgender boy who is grappling with swimming for the first time against boys, his ex-best friend becoming his bully, and his first crush. Author and swimmer Schuyler Bailar, the first transgender athlete to compete in any sport on an NCAA Division I men's team, provides a truly authentic voice for Obie. Glossary and resources in the back make this a wonderful read for anyone wanting to explore the experiences of transgender individuals, regardless of their gender identity. But the heart and authenticity infusing every moment is what makes this book essential reading for everyone.

Trigger Warnings: Transphobia, deadnaming, bullying, police brutality/systemic racism, violence, toxic masculinity, trauma, blood, needles, testosterone, Catholicism, death, negative self-talk, assisted living facility, racism, death of a parent, outing someone, homophobia, cursing

Representation: Transgender, Korean, Gay, Salvadorian, Cuban

Obie is Man Enough is a middle grade novel about a boy named Obie who has to change swim teams due to ignorance and bullying. Obie struggles with his intersectional identities and learns more about himself through the support of his circle and the different challenges he faces. Obie is ready to prove to everyone that he can swim with the boys and even beat them!

Aww I loved this story! This was an easy read despite it being geared toward middle grade. Obie felt fully developed and flawed. His inner dialogue was completely relatable, even to an adult. I felt like Obie was very mature for 13 and struggled with relationships like we all do. I loved the texts and lists along the way. The story comes to a complete and satisfying close, resolving the issues that occurred and allowing Obie to continue to grow and develop into the man he is. I also really enjoyed learning more about swimming!

Obie’s family is very supportive of him, which is often not the case for Transgender kids. I loved how Obie could recognize this and the author’s note at the end as well. I also felt Obie’s relationship with different adults was so realistic and relatable, coming from a similar situation myself.

Overall, this was a fantastic read and I could not put it down!

This eARC was provided by the publisher, Random House Children’s via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher for an e-ARC of this middle grade novel. I thought Obie's story was exceptionally well told. Though each person's experience is undoubtedly and markedly different, I think this is an apt representation of what a transgender kid stands to face. Every parent hopes their children receive the support Obie receives from his allies (his teacher, new swimming coach, family, and new friends), and equally fears the bullying he faces. I look forward to seeing this on middle and high school shelves.

Obie is Man Enough was an amazing read that I am definitely going to purchase for our school library as soon as it comes out. The story of Obie as he navigates middle school after his transition is realistic and inspiring. I think that it strikes a decent balance between educational for cis readers and empowering for trans readers. I would definitely want to be sure to talk through potential triggers with any younger trans readers before they pick this up, as it does include instances of deadnaming, the f-word, and violence.

In terms of the actual characters and plot, I found Obie to be incredibly endearing, and I especially enjoyed the evolution of his relationships and how he navigated them. The level of support and intervention from the adults when something happens to Obie is great - he truly does have a community around him.

"Obie is man enough" by Schuyler Bailar is a middle-grade book about Obie who is a transgender. He is biracial, i.e, half American and half Korean, and a competitive swimmer. Obie knew that his transition is going to cause ripples, and it did happen, badly. The book travels with Obie being bullied by his former best friend Cylde and getting kicked out by his coach due to his transition. Obie has a supportive circle that constantly helps him to face challenges, like his family, teachers, and friends.

This book just not focuses on growing up as a transgender tween but also other things like new friendships, mood changes, and knowing and embracing one's true self.There is an essay written by Obie in the book which touches your heart. As Bailar himself is a competitive swimmer and a transgender, the book follows with accurate details and descriptions. The book sometimes gets dark and gets a little hard to read. Overall awesome

*Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.*

3.75 stars

Overall I enjoyed this book and really appreciated the representation of a biracial transgender teen boy. (Just to be transparent, I am a white cis queer woman and am reviewing from that POV. I also don’t yet have a lot of experience reading middle grade titles as an adult.)

I enjoyed and rooted for the title character, Obie. I loved that he had such a supportive family. His being a competitive swimmer is another aspect I enjoyed.

Obie faces some difficult situations, including a swim coach who rejects him (and uses his dead name, which does appear in the text several times) and a bully who physically harms him badly enough he needs stitches. (The description isn’t graphic, but naturally the emotion of the scene may be hard for young readers, particularly trans kids.) I’d definitely be aware of the content before deciding if you/your child is the right reader. BUT I think it is a worthwhile read with a lot of heart and good messages about how important it is to accept yourself and how valuable it is to have loving support in your life. I’m not a parent, but this seems like a great book for kids and parents to read together to open up conversations about topics like what it means to be trans, what to do if you’re bullied or witness bullying, etc.

In the beginning I wasn’t sure about the writing style. I think it felt a bit choppy. And some of the dialogue, especially from adults, came off as a bit rigid/unnatural. I love that Obie’s mom was so supportive, but a lot of her dialogue felt more like affirmations or pamphlets than a real person. Really Obie is the only character I thought was fleshed out, with others a bit flat. But I was certainly rooting for him!

Disclaimer: I received an e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my GOD this book! From the moment it started, I felt for Obie. Every time he got in the pool, every race, every school interaction, every struggle, I was cheering him on (sometimes out loud). This book so easily could have crossed the threshold into melodrama, but it had such a strong heart that it kept me hooked and invested the whole time. Obie is a transgender, biracial Korean American boy who just wants to be respected as he pursues his dreams and hobbies. He is a brilliant swimmer and writer who faces obstacles unique to the trans experience (e.g. transphobic bullying) but also universal problems (e.g. dating). I can only imagine how impactful this book could be in the hands of young trans readers searching for representation of their stories that features both the positives and negatives in sensitive ways and provides hope that there are more good people than bad.

If you're a cis reader, I recommend you check this out to have a small glimpse into the struggles and joy of trans experiences. If you're a trans reader, I recommend checking this out to see the ways in which Obie's story might resonate with you or at least illustrate one of the infinite ways your own story could play out.

TW: transphobia, bullying, homophobia, cursing, physical violence, verbal abuse, outing someone