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A review by nyree42
Hazel Bly and the Deep Blue Sea by Ashley Herring Blake
3.5
A sweet story and emotionally challenging in many ways, including the depiction of the mother who turned neglectful after her partner's tragic death, forcing their child to look after her little sister, when they should have had an adult babysitter.
My concern is that it seems inappropriate for a preteen who hasn't gone through puberty to call themselves "nonbinary" (we get the impression that Jules is probably a biological boy), but I understand that's the reality in many classrooms these days.
What educators should teach is acceptance of "what is" and not trying to change yourself to an impossible degree. Just because you don't like your body at 12 or 16 doesn't mean that you won't like it when you're 25 or 30. Allow yourself to naturally grow, develop and change.
I'm glad that when I went to see a doctor when I was 13 because I hated my biological body, she told me not to worry. "You'll grow into it. Your adult body will look a lot different."
That turned out to be true. By the time I was in my mid-20s, I was able to fully accept and embrace myself for who I was in my biological body without having undergone any alterations. I'm sure many people out there feel the same way.
If any young people are reading this: In regards to your awkward preteen and teenage years - it's not how you will stay your whole life, so don't worry about it too much. Just find ways to be happy.
Time will pass by quicker than you think and your appearance will undergo huge changes every year. What you don't like now won't even be an issue anymore soon. Don't let anyone tell you that there's something wrong with you. Just have fun with your friends, and work hard at school. Everything will be okay.
My concern is that it seems inappropriate for a preteen who hasn't gone through puberty to call themselves "nonbinary" (we get the impression that Jules is probably a biological boy), but I understand that's the reality in many classrooms these days.
What educators should teach is acceptance of "what is" and not trying to change yourself to an impossible degree. Just because you don't like your body at 12 or 16 doesn't mean that you won't like it when you're 25 or 30. Allow yourself to naturally grow, develop and change.
I'm glad that when I went to see a doctor when I was 13 because I hated my biological body, she told me not to worry. "You'll grow into it. Your adult body will look a lot different."
That turned out to be true. By the time I was in my mid-20s, I was able to fully accept and embrace myself for who I was in my biological body without having undergone any alterations. I'm sure many people out there feel the same way.
If any young people are reading this: In regards to your awkward preteen and teenage years - it's not how you will stay your whole life, so don't worry about it too much. Just find ways to be happy.
Time will pass by quicker than you think and your appearance will undergo huge changes every year. What you don't like now won't even be an issue anymore soon. Don't let anyone tell you that there's something wrong with you. Just have fun with your friends, and work hard at school. Everything will be okay.