Lucy, Uncensored

September 1, 2024
Grades 9-12 Lucy is looking for a fresh start, and she's hoping college will provide it. After coming out as trans in high school, she's sick of bullies and casually transphobic comments. An uninspiring college visit at the nearby school she and her bestie Callie have long dreamed of attending has her rethinking her future. This is compounded by her high school's censorship of the queer play Lucy and Callie are planning to use for their admission interview to the college's theater program. Cue a secret road trip to Botetourt, a women's college in Virginia, as the two best friends rethink what their dream futures actually look like. Amid the racially diverse cast featuring multiple trans and queer characters, Lucy emerges as particularly lovable, and readers will have their hearts warmed as they follow along with her journey. Debut authors and sisters Mel and Teghan Hammond have crafted an emotionally resonant story with a touching and uplifting conclusion that will leave readers satisfied and cheering for Lucy's future.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 1, 2024
Lucy Myers and her best friend, Callie Katz, go on a road trip to explore a women's college in the hopes of finding a place where Lucy can finally be herself. Lucy is tired of the daily transphobia she experiences at her small-town Pennsylvania high school. She imagines college as a place where she'll be accepted as the woman she is. She and Callie plan to live out their dreams at Central University, a nearby state school with a prestigious drama program. But after attending a disastrous campus tour where two of her bullying classmates are in attendance and harass her, and then having the queer reimagining ofThe Tempest that she and Callie wrote censored by the school board, Lucy sets her sights on going farther afield. Botetourt, a women's college in Virginia, is said to be LGBTQ+ friendly, but it's unclear whether they've ever admitted any trans women. So the two BFFs, who are white, set off on a road trip to go see the place for themselves. The novel examines the daily microaggressions Lucy faces, while also scrutinizing institutions that claim to be inclusive. The authors balance out these serious topics with lively banter, humorous situations, and pop-culture references as readers follow Lucy on her journey to discovering how to live as her most authentic self. Provides honest insight into the life of a trans girl who's fighting to live her truth.(Fiction. 14-18)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 1, 2024

Gr 10 Up-Sisters Mel and Teghan Hammond offer a relevant, page-turning novel with authentic representation of navigating life as a transgender teen. High school senior Lucy has been on HRT for two years, presenting as Lucy publicly for one year. She is excited to apply for her local university's drama program not only because of her passion for theater but also for a new start where no one knows her deadname. When Lucy realizes the local university might not be enough of an escape, she looks up LGBTQIA+ friendly colleges only to find the name of a women's college with no evidence they have accepted a transgender woman. This novel portrays an honest depiction of Lucy's anxiety and difficulties she faces around her transition while providing great joy and levity through her relationship with her best friend Callie and the adventure of a road trip. The plot offers many examples of feelings and situations cisgender folks may not realize are difficult: changing one's license, not having bathroom access, censorship, and deciding when to disclose one's identity while dating. Other characters in the book are bisexual, gay, nonbinary, and transgender. Characters drink alcohol at college parties and smoke marijuana. VERDICT An essential read for those who identify as gender diverse as well as for teens struggling to find their spots as they think beyond high school.-Taylor Skorski

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