Gracefully Grayson, Polonsky Ami

Dont be intimidated when I say that Gracefully Grayson is an important book. (It is.) Its also a brave, exhilarating, heart-stopping, roller-coaster ride of self-discovery that will leave you cheering.
-Dean Pitchford, Oscar-winning songwriter and award-winning author of Captain Nobody and Nickel Bay Nick In this sweet and thoughtful debut, an introverted sixth grader begins to come into her own as a transgender girl. The writing is clear and effortless, with a straightforward plot and likable characters. Grayson is a charming narrator who balances uncertainty with clarity, bravery with anxiety. This title has less obvious and didactic intent than other novels featuring transgender protagonists. A welcome addition to a burgeoning genre.
-School Library Journal
Thoughtfully told through Graysons eyes, the story conveys his angst, hurt, loss, and emerging confidence as he struggles with a whirlwind of emotions. His new friends allow him to find the courage to become who she really is, and we are privileged to watch the transformation take place. With great courage, Polonskys debut novel reminds us with much sensitivity that we are all unique and deserve to become who we are meant to be.
-Booklist Polonsky captures the loneliness of a child resigned to disappear rather than be rejected, and then the courageous risk that child eventually takes to be seen for who she is. The first-person narration successfully positions readers to experience Graysons confusion, fear, pain, and triumphs as they happen, lending an immediate and intimate feel to the narrative. -Horn Book