Self Portrait by Ludwig Volbeda is a phenomenal coming-of-age story illustrated through unsent letters and graphite drawings.

Volbeda's prose is masterful. The reader sees all angles of the narrator, Jip, as they stumble through their youth. Their experiences--unease, fear, uncertainty--feel effortlessly genuine.

Jip's struggle with their art assignment--a self portrait--becomes a central and internal conflict which has no clear answer until the end of the novel.

This book offers a truly poignant account of growing up transgender or queer, and how difficult it can be to understand the source of unease with your self-image. As a transmasculine reader, I felt particularly seen by this novel. Jip's internal conflict is not clear and tangible--it eats away at them over time and becomes the root of issues which aren't clearly understood.

I strongly recommend this book to anyone, but I'm certain that parents and queer youth will benefit the most from reading it.