A coming of age story that we need more of

The “new kid at school” storyline is something we often see in YA books, but I think what makes “The Passing Playbook” so special is Spencer himself. Just from the dialogue with his mom in Ch. 1 we know that Spencer’s experiences at his previous school were traumatic, and although he may find social acceptance at his new school, it may not mean others truly understand who he is. I’m excited to read more as I predict this story has what I hope to see more of in YA books: representation for trans and queer youth, witty relatable characters, realistically complex parent-child relationships, and combatting cis/heteronormativity (which the book title and cover cleverly allude to).