Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Fiction Tuesday

I AM J by Chris Beam

Chris works with teenagers who are Transgender, so who better than her, to write a novel about the matter. She is also the author of the nonfiction book Transparent: Love, Family, and Living the T with Transgender Teenagers.

STORYLINE: Growing up, J (born as Jennifer) always thought of himself as a boy stuck in the body of a girl. In elementary school J shunned his mom’s attempts to stick him in dresses and preferred the rough-and-tumble play of boys on the playground. Now, as a teenager, J’s Puerto Rican mother and Jewish father want him to think about his future and one day start a family, a possibility that makes J feel misunderstood and anxious about what lies ahead. So after an argument with his best friend, J strikes out on his own. He starts classes at a school for transgender and gay teens, but the complications resulting from who he is and who he wants to be prevent J from truly connecting with anyone. Fed up hiding inside layers of oversized t-shirts, J decides to explore testosterone treatments and embarks on a path that will test his patience, maturity, and commitment. Author Cris Beam’s extraordinary understanding of this often overlooked population shows in J--a complex, conflicted character whose emotional journey will resonate beyond the final page. Equally impressive is Beam’s vivid dialog, which illuminates relationships and situations that any teen who has felt isolated will easily relate to. Thoughtfully researched and written, I Am J is ultimately an inspiring novel about deciding to lead the life one is meant to--no matter at what cost. --Jessica Schein

Many will fall in love with J by the way Beam portrays this character in the book. She does it with so much realism. Its a must read. Find it at your library. 

14 comments:

  1. This sounds like quite an interesting read - very unique and different from much of what is on bookshelves nowadays. :)

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  2. This is definitely not a book synopsis that you'd read every day! That's fantastic that there's literature out there dealing with contemporary subjects like this. I'll have to check out the library.

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  3. This looks very interesting. Thanks for this!

    xx

    www.sickbytrend.com

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  4. So cool. Definitely a worthy read.

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  5. Very cool and sounds like it would be a good read that would keep you engaged.

    xo Mary Jo

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  6. wow that sounds truly amazing!

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  7. Looking forward to finding this one.

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  8. Thanks for stopping by my blog and commenting. I drank a whole bottle of Robutussen when I was a kid and slept for 2 days. Someone really should have been watching me closer.

    What did your mother do when she found you in the closet?

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  9. I've seen Crusade. I actually got it for Christmas. LOVE IT!

    I'm going to see him again on Thurday. I just can not tell you how much I love Johnny Flynn!

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  10. This is really amazing, I am glad that you did a post on this!

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  11. The transgender community is sadly underappreciated and under-represented in literature. This book sounds good.

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  12. Definite a book worth checking out.

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