Boy2Girl by Terence Blacker

Fans of contemporary cuteness and coming-of-age books will love Boy 2 Girl.

Title:  Boy2Girl
Author: Terence Blacker
Publish Date:  March 9, 2005
Genre: Young Adult/LGBT

Publisher’s Description:  Is he a girl? Is she a boy?

Matthew’s American cousin, Sam, has come to London to live with the family. Sam is a charismatic, funny kid, but can he be trusted to be a reliable friend? Matthew and his “mates” decide that Sam must undertake a challenge in order to prove himself: he must start off his new year at their school posing as a girl. It turns out that Sam makes a great girl. He fools everyone and has an electrifying effect at Bradbury Hill School. And the longer the prank goes on, the more hilarious — and serious — the repercussions.

This brilliant novel shines a laser-sharp beam into the perilous territory of early-teen life, in an unforgettable story of chaos, confusion, and cross-dressing.

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Kat Mandu says…

 

Fans of contemporary cuteness and coming-of-age books will love Boy 2 Girl. I can’t believe it took me so long to review this. Sometimes it’s nice to step out of the fantasy scene and read something fresh and not so typical of what I usually read because I tend to find books I really, truly enjoy.

Matthew and Sam lead completely different lives. Matthew, whose parents might be overbearing and oversharing, still love and take care of him. Sam has had a rough childhood because he lived with his single-mother and her criminal boyfriend, who is actually Sam’s father, though he never acts like it.

So when Sam is sent to live with his cousin, things get very strange, very quickly. Sam, still reeling over his mother’s death, is emotional and somewhat crazy. When Matthew and his friends, who feel like Sam doesn’t fit in with their social group, dare Sam to dress up and act like a girl, Sam strives to prove himself in their eyes by doing so.

This isn’t necessarily a story about transgender, but it is about finding your identity. Sam discovers he’s not entirely sure who he is in the strange new world where Matthew lives, but pretending to be a girl gives his confidence, energy, and happiness.

It’s a truly good story-line, with a lot of laughs along the way. It’s hard to explain a proper age group for this one because the identity crisis suggests a middle-grade tone but the language and innuendo make me think it’s great for older teens as well. Either way, young adult contemporary. I really enjoyed the flow of writing and the characters, especially since there’s quite a few scenes where you hear from other side characters, like Matthew’s dad and his teachers and friends. Overall, a wonderfully told story.  

 

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