"Tirzah loves best friend Heidi in a more-than-friends kind of way, but it's unclear whether Heidi feels the same, and Heidi's conservative Muslim family wouldn't condone such a relationship even if she did. As graduation looms and Tirzah pursues a soccer scholarship, the teenager bemoans having to play on the girls' team, struggles in dealing with Heidi and other classmates, and gradually feels empowered to live full-time as Troy." -Publishers Weekly
On the outside, Tirzah has everything: a best friend who adores her and the potential of a full-ride soccer scholarship at her father's alma mater, Illinois University. But to Tirzah, none of it matters since she's stuck in the body of a girl. Struggling to hide her feelings for her best friend, Heidi, and fighting to cover up female body parts, Tirzah realizes the only way to true happiness is by transitioning. But the change could mean losing Heidi, the scholarship, and possibly her parents' acceptance. When Tirzah starts to live as Troy, Heidi's family forbids the friendship. That's when Heidi goes missing. Troy must find Heidi, and, ultimately, himself.
I research history, citizenship, identity & belonging at the UAlberta. You can find me on Mastodon here: https://t.co/RBW7LqWt7d and on 🧵as carlapeck.
🎉 CONGRATS to @UAlbertaEd grad, Dr. Lindsay Herriot + co-editor Kate Fry, whose book, GROWING UP TRANS, has been shortlisted for both the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award & the Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction! Proud of you!👏🏻 https://t.co/X8Aq56QYri
2017 ALA Rainbow Book List Nominee
2017 Lambda Literary "Lammy" Nominee
"[A] thoughtful portrait of one teenager's incremental progress toward greater self-knowledge and acceptance." -Publishers Weekly
"Sotira (Shifts: An Anthology of Women's Growth Through Change) writes sensitively about Tirzah's gender dysphoria; the teen's tender friendship with Heidi and the realistically varied reactions to Tirzah's transitioning are also handled well." -Publishers Weekly
"This is a deeply emotional story, with well-researched characters and moments of extreme anguish to which any teen (regardless of gender/sexuality issues) can relate." -Veronica Rundell, Book Reviewer
"INTERESTING and EYE-OPENING, not to mention UNIQUE and ENGAGING." -Sarah Schroeder, Columbia College Chicago