A star high school athlete grapples with understanding who he is in this тАЬsmart, urgent, and wonderfully poetic coming out storyтАЭ (Lambda Literary).
From the outside, Brendan Chase seems to have it pretty easy. HeтАЩs a star wrestler, a video game aficionado, and a loving boyfriend to his seemingly perfect match, Vanessa. But on the inside, Brendan struggles to understand why his body feels so wrongтАФwhy he sometimes fantasizes having long hair, soft skin, and gentle curves. Is there even a name for guys like him? Guys who sometimes want to be girls? Or is Brendan just a freak?
In FreakboyтАЩs razor-sharp verse, Kristin Clark folds three narratives into one powerful story: Brendan trying to understand his sexual identity, Vanessa fighting to keep her and BrendanтАЩs relationship alive, and Angel struggling to confront her demons.
Praise for Freakboy
тАЬAn important story, written with compassion and startling insight. A brave YA debut.тАЭ тАФEllen Hopkins, New York TimesтАУbestselling author of the Crank trilogy
тАЬDebut novelist Clark uses free verse to write a gripping story about a complex topic: the challenges of growing up transgender or genderqueer.тАЭ тАФPublishers Weekly (starred review)
тАЬThis gutsy, tripartite poem explores a wider variety of identitiesтАФcis-, trans-, genderqueerтАФthan a simple transgender storyline, making it stand out.тАЭ тАФKirkus Reviews (starred review)