i cried

I'm...conflicted about this book. On the one hand, it was very relatable to my experience of growing up and not fitting in, because unbeknownst to me at the time, I was not cis (I'm still not). However, a lot of how Bug comes to their identity seems forced (like the haircut, wtf??), and for a book that's trying to educate on and normalize trans kids, it puts a lot of misinformation out there. Like if the purpose of this book is to help trans kids realize who they are (what being trans is), or to help their parents understand, why start with "I thought it was about private parts and medical procedures"? That just puts the wrong idea in readers' heads, especially when it's never addressed that that's *not* accurate. It's like saying "don't think about this because it's wrong," but then never showing what's right, so that all you remember is what's wrong. Specifically, ***the book never addresses that you can be trans without going through any kind of medical transition*** which is a HUGE lapse imo, especially since it leads readers to believe that transitioning is necessary. On the other hand, it also doesn't address the reality of what gender affirming care would look like (eg puberty blockers) for someone starting middle school. So it kinda fails on both accounts.

In the right hands, this could be a great book, but I think if a reader picks it up who's not already knowledgeable and supportive of trans issues (enough to combat common conservative misinformation), it could do more harm than good, ESPECIALLY if a transphobic parent picks it up - it would just confirm all their "fears".

Overall, I would not recommend this book. There are better ones out there to introduce and normalize trans kids.