A review by shayemiller
Be Who You Are by Jennifer Carr

4.0

I recently heard about this book and was pleased to see it was available through my college. It begins with a young boy named Nick who, after a lot of consideration, decides he isn't a boy and makes slow changes to become "Hope." His parents are patient and understanding, even making sure to find a good doctor for their child to speak with while making this decision. Obviously, this book provides a framework for transgender discussion as so many children are going through this process, today. I found it especially interesting how the book switches from referring to the child as he/his/him to she/hers/her once the decision is made. And it also discusses how it can sometimes be difficult for friends and family members to remember a name change, to change from being a brother to a sister, and to use the proper pronouns. The artwork is clearly not intended to be the focus of this book. It's simple with a variety of pastel circles serving as backgrounds in each drawing.

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