A trans, nonbinary tween and the boy who could be zir future step-brother engage in a reverse-Parent Trap plan to break up their two moms.
Sixth-grader Piper Shapiro is close with zir single-mom-by-choice, Noura. Noura has been supportive ever since Piper came out as nonbinary in third grade, and is helping zem navigate the changes of zir new middle school. The two of them have always been a team. But when Noura starts getting serious about her new girlfriend, Gwinny, and Gwinny’s son Colton turns out to be Piper’s nemesis, Piper knows ze has to do something. When the two women take their families on a cruise together, Piper (with some insight from zir best friend Tru, a trans girl) hatches a plan to break them up.
It turns out the plan will work best if Colton is in on it, so ze reluctantly enlists his aid. It’s clear that Piper is really more perturbed by the idea of losing the closeness with zir mom than by being related to Colton, who is maybe … not so bad. Antics ensue as the two kids try to create enough stress on their moms’ relationship that the women will see it wasn’t meant to be.
There’s hilarity here, but also an underlying understanding of human emotions. Author Caroline Huntoon, who is both nonbinary and a single parent themselves, shows us the fluctuating feelings that many tweens may experience upon entering middle school, where social groups are new and changing and puberty is in full swing. They also understand the feelings and concerns that a nonbinary tween in particular may have, and while those are not the focus of the story, they add authenticity and depth to Piper’s character. Add this volume, too, to the growing number of books featuring queer kids with queer parents (not that we “make” them that way, but because it’s statistically bound to happen).
I also appreciate the friendship that Huntoon shows between Piper and Tru. Although their queer (and racial) identities are not identical, they each understand what it is like to move as a trans person in a largely cis world, and they are there for each other—about both trans-related and other topics.
The overarching message, about what family means even when families change, is applicable to all identities and types of families, though, even if it’s explored here in a very queer context. Highly recommended.
Piper, Colton, and their moms read as White; Tru is Black.
Pair this with To Night Owl from Dogfish, a fun caper about two girls sent to the same summer camp by their single gay dads, who are dating and want the girls to to get know each other (although the girls aren’t sure they want that), and The Sister Split, about two girls (one of whom is queer) trying to stop the wedding of their mom and dad and the merging of their families.
