Scan barcode
dananana's review against another edition
4.5
Everything about me feels so fragile after finishing this. This is a heartrending and sad story at many times throughout the book, but one filled with so much hope and love and tenderness. It's definitely a new favorite middle grade novel.
The book follows Rowan, a fifth-grader in the late ‘90s who is has a lot on his plate. At the beginning of the novel, he is starting to question if he’s a boy, feeling acute loneliness at school because his friends are excluding him for being different, feeling inadequate because of that, and also dealing with the way he’s being hurt by his father (incest/sexual abuse). He deals with all of these feelings by writing letters and attaching them to balloons, and sending them out his window in the hopes that someone is listening. This is definitely one of the heaviest middle-grade books I’ve read, but I also felt that all these issues were discussed in a very sensitive way (from my limited perspective at least).
I mentioned while reading that I just wanted to teleport into the book and adopt Rowan and I stand by that – it was so difficult to read about him turning all the blame inward, like so many survivors of trauma tend to do, and to not get adequate support from his family. It gets to the point where Rowan wonders if he even has a future, because he doesn’t know if he can imagine it. But this is where Sofie, a girl in his class that has her own difficulties, comes in. It’s his friendship with Sofie, as well as the kindness of others in his life that allow both Rowan and Sophie to imagine a future where they can be happy. To build a ship that will take them out of their difficult childhoods.
The writing of this really stood out to me. It’s incredibly tender and even lyrical at some places. There are so many subtle metaphors that made my heart ache. And so many passages that made me stop reading and just stare at the page. Here are a couple quotes that I really loved and wanted to save (I have even more saved, but not gonna put them here because of spoilers):
“When I write letters, I love that you have to read all of my thoughts and stories before I say any name at all. You have to make it to the very end to know.”
“I have big feelings with Sofie. Whenever she is here, the ship we built out of the refrigerator box feels as quiet as the falling snow. It’s dear, like a dear, dear home that we built all by ourselves.”
“I’ve heard plenty of stories about girls and boys, but never one like this.”
I also really loved the themes of this book. How the love that trans people give to the world is beautiful. The difficult intersection of abuse and being trans, which the author briefly discussed in a note at the end, and how they drew on their own experiences for this part. The importance one person in a community can make - and how their absence can feel like a terrible void.
Most of all, though, this is a book about making connections. About the power of having just one or a few people believe in you and see you. Of building a way to a future that you couldn’t imagine just a few months ago.
content warnings for the book: incest, childhood sexual abuse, homophobia, transphobia, bullying
The book follows Rowan, a fifth-grader in the late ‘90s who is has a lot on his plate. At the beginning of the novel, he is starting to question if he’s a boy, feeling acute loneliness at school because his friends are excluding him for being different, feeling inadequate because of that, and also dealing with the way he’s being hurt by his father (incest/sexual abuse). He deals with all of these feelings by writing letters and attaching them to balloons, and sending them out his window in the hopes that someone is listening. This is definitely one of the heaviest middle-grade books I’ve read, but I also felt that all these issues were discussed in a very sensitive way (from my limited perspective at least).
I mentioned while reading that I just wanted to teleport into the book and adopt Rowan and I stand by that – it was so difficult to read about him turning all the blame inward, like so many survivors of trauma tend to do, and to not get adequate support from his family. It gets to the point where Rowan wonders if he even has a future, because he doesn’t know if he can imagine it. But this is where Sofie, a girl in his class that has her own difficulties, comes in. It’s his friendship with Sofie, as well as the kindness of others in his life that allow both Rowan and Sophie to imagine a future where they can be happy. To build a ship that will take them out of their difficult childhoods.
The writing of this really stood out to me. It’s incredibly tender and even lyrical at some places. There are so many subtle metaphors that made my heart ache. And so many passages that made me stop reading and just stare at the page. Here are a couple quotes that I really loved and wanted to save (I have even more saved, but not gonna put them here because of spoilers):
“When I write letters, I love that you have to read all of my thoughts and stories before I say any name at all. You have to make it to the very end to know.”
“I have big feelings with Sofie. Whenever she is here, the ship we built out of the refrigerator box feels as quiet as the falling snow. It’s dear, like a dear, dear home that we built all by ourselves.”
“I’ve heard plenty of stories about girls and boys, but never one like this.”
I also really loved the themes of this book. How the love that trans people give to the world is beautiful. The difficult intersection of abuse and being trans, which the author briefly discussed in a note at the end, and how they drew on their own experiences for this part. The importance one person in a community can make - and how their absence can feel like a terrible void.
Most of all, though, this is a book about making connections. About the power of having just one or a few people believe in you and see you. Of building a way to a future that you couldn’t imagine just a few months ago.
content warnings for the book: incest, childhood sexual abuse, homophobia, transphobia, bullying
wesley333's review against another edition
3.0
I like it okay. Not my favorite, but then again it isn't really my style book.
teenlibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
Arc provided by publisher for an honest review.
Wow. I just heard about this book a few days and couldn’t wait to read pick up The Ship We Built after hearing such an heartfelt booktalk by the editor. As someone with a trans masculine family member, I search for books that could’ve and would’ve helped him at that time and I don’t see as many trans masculine middle grade stories as I’d hope.
Thank you to the author Lexie Bean, they wrote a much needed book that I hope will find its way into the hands of those who need it.
This is an achingly beautiful middle grade story of a trans boy, Rowan (birth name Ellie), in 5th grade writing letters attached to balloons being sent out in the world, desperately hoping someone will and won’t find them. Rowan has so many secrets and is trying to figure things out; this is his journey, written in epistolary form.
This book is set in 1997/1998, I was only a few years older than Rowan and I thoroughly enjoyed so many little nuances and memories of music, pop culture, and food from my childhood being included.
No spoilers in this review, no quotes (though there are so many stand out lines).
This book tactfully explores topics: suggested sexual abuse/incest, homophobia, mean girls/bullying, racism, incarceration, and alcoholic behavior.
Wow. I just heard about this book a few days and couldn’t wait to read pick up The Ship We Built after hearing such an heartfelt booktalk by the editor. As someone with a trans masculine family member, I search for books that could’ve and would’ve helped him at that time and I don’t see as many trans masculine middle grade stories as I’d hope.
Thank you to the author Lexie Bean, they wrote a much needed book that I hope will find its way into the hands of those who need it.
This is an achingly beautiful middle grade story of a trans boy, Rowan (birth name Ellie), in 5th grade writing letters attached to balloons being sent out in the world, desperately hoping someone will and won’t find them. Rowan has so many secrets and is trying to figure things out; this is his journey, written in epistolary form.
This book is set in 1997/1998, I was only a few years older than Rowan and I thoroughly enjoyed so many little nuances and memories of music, pop culture, and food from my childhood being included.
No spoilers in this review, no quotes (though there are so many stand out lines).
This book tactfully explores topics: suggested sexual abuse/incest, homophobia, mean girls/bullying, racism, incarceration, and alcoholic behavior.
nadjatiktinsky's review against another edition
Man, this one is a real heart-wringer. Fifth-grader Rowan (or maybe...Paul? Or Kevin?) is trying to navigate school after his popular-girl friend group ditches him. To make things even tougher, he's just starting to realize that he's a boy, even though everyone else sees him as a girl. This book is made up of the letters Rowan writes each week, ties to balloons, and releases in hope that they'll be read by someone more understanding than the people he's surrounded with. I love this book for Rowan's beautiful voice, the authentic 90's-childhood feel, the sadness that is intense yet so hopeful, the nice teacher we meet just when it matters most, the racial injustice awakening in a ten-year-old...all of it!! This is a great book to hand to the trans or questioning kid in your life, but any child will see themselves reflected in Rowan's friendship struggles and fears about not being ready to grow up.
lanni's review against another edition
5.0
Melancholic, beautiful, transformative middle grades story that I wish I had read as a kid. Some big, heavy topics (sexual abuse, transgender identity, parental incarceration, racism) that make this book more appropriate developmentally for ages 10-14. The epistolary narrative is written as letters tied to balloons by Rowan, a trans boy seeking to find his identity and place. Own Voices.
wrongvswrite's review against another edition
4.0
A beautiful epistolary novel in the voice of a ten-year-old. As the author notes at the end, it's not an "issue novel" but a story about real characters.
competencefantasy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
cheapapplecider's review against another edition
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.75
bobsacoolword's review against another edition
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book made me smile and laugh but it also made me cry. Have you ever finished a book and knew that someday, it’d become a book someone didn’t know they needed? I had a book like that when I was a kid and this felt exactly like that feeling.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Transphobia
naomiysl's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Extremely well written, and also I feel like I've just had my heart beaten to a bloody pulp. Is that a good thing? Depends on what you're going for, I suppose. Sensitive handling of a large number of difficult topics:
the experience of being a trans kid
coming into ones sexuality as an adolescent
transphobia and homophobia
parental incarceration
incest/sexual abuse
it's...a pretty big list. Treat yourself gently after reading.
the experience of being a trans kid
coming into ones sexuality as an adolescent
transphobia and homophobia
parental incarceration
incest/sexual abuse
it's...a pretty big list. Treat yourself gently after reading.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Incest, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Violence, and Dysphoria