Written by the first transgender athlete to compete in any sport on an NCAA Division I men’s team, this is the fictional story of a Korean-American transgender seventh grader hoping for a fresh start with a new swim team after the abusive transphobic coach at his previous one kicked him out. His new coach is more welcoming, and his parents are supportive, but Obie still worries about being “man enough,” and must also deal with a former friend who becomes a transphobic bully and another who becomes distant in the shifting social dynamics of middle school. While the bullying and deadnaming that Obie endures are awful and may be triggering or disturbing for some readers, Obie also has a solid support system in his family, teacher, and new coach. This, plus his sweet budding romance with a cisgender girl, offer a sense of possibility and hope. An important book given the vicious current attacks against trans athletes.
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