A review by rockythefreak
The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A wonderful read! I wish I had this book when I was a kid. As an adult, there were a few parts I might have cringed or yucked at (I do NOT want to read about teens exploring sexually, no matter how brief) but I think for teen readers, these moments are important and perfectly done. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Outing, Transphobia, Child abuse, Hate crime, Mass/school shootings, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Addiction, Dysphoria, Religious bigotry, Ableism, Outing, Medical content, and Abortion

Minor: Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Deadnaming, and Sexism

A character is outed to his parents when a girl from his church hears him dump his boyfriend. There is homophobia, transphobia, and racism throughout. The most explicit homophobia comes from a religious context, and religious trauma is a clear factor in one of the character's lives. There is a gruesome depiction of anti-abortion sentiment as well as pre-marital sex being bad, during the soccer team's visit to a haunted house. There is minor ableism to MC's autistic little brother. Someone is referenced as having died of a heroin overdose and having a painkiller addiction. There is a school lockdown when a student gets a death threat.