Zenobia July is dealing with a lot of changes. She has just moved from Arizona to live with her two quirky aunts (a couple) in Maine, after her father died in what seems like a hunting accident (but was likely a suicide). Her mom died when she was little. She is also now living for the first time as a transgender girl, and trying to make friends at her new school while also keeping her transness a secret. Her resolve is tested, however, when new friend Elijah is outed as trans and Arli, a genderqueer friend (who uses vo/ven/veir pronouns) wonders why she isn’t more supportive. (It is also hinted that Arli may be asexual/aromantic.)
When someone posts anti-trans and anti-Muslim content on the school website, Zenobia brings her hacker skills to bear to try and find the culprit and support her friend Dyna, who is Muslim. Yet we also see Zenobia’s vulnerable side as she comes to feel comfortable in her identity while also grappling with the many changes, personal and interpersonal, that middle school brings. The seriousness of some of the topics is lightened by scenes with the aunt’s delightful friend Uncle Sprink, a drag queen.
A fun story full of queer representation and themes of both self-knowledge and finding community.
