Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Parrotfish by Ellen Wittlinger

This book is a beautifully well-written, heart-touching story about a boy.
Yes, that pretty much sums it up.
Grady is your average, slightly nerdy, unpopular-since-he-left-home-school boy.
Sadly, this is not how the majority of his high-school class views him.
You see, Grady was born in a female body, under the name of Angela Katz-McNair.
And everyone knows him as such. Even his best friend, Eve, chooses the popular girls over her friendship with Grady, claiming him to be unnatural and confused, and not the Angela she knew.
Grady's mother can't seem to grasp the concept that her lovely little girl is... not.
Because Grady is not a girl, and he never really was.
And when Grady gathers the courage to talk to his teachers and principal about a name change, he is shot down, his principal claiming that all Grady really wants is attention.
Then, of course, Grady falls in love.
And he makes a friend. Sebastian.
One person on his side, but it's sure better than no one.
And, as cliché as it might seem, it is up to Grady, Sebastian, and his crush to turn the tides of this school in his favor.
Because Grady is a boy. And it is not your choice to call him Angela.

While this story may wrap up a little unrealistically, it is a great read, and something to show anyone who opposes people being who they are.
- Olivia
Check it out!