Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher [book]

Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher [book]

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers; 1 edition, 2009
Language: English
Hardcover: 368 pages
ISBN: 0385736649

Plot Summary:
Sage is a transgendered teen girl to parents that are ashamed of her and keep her home schooled until they legally cannot anymore and she goes to public school. She is quick witted, nice, and looks and acts like a girl Logan is a straight male senior at this Missouri high school and he falls for this slightly off new girl without knowing that she was a biological male. The story is told from Logan's perspective and is about him learning to cope with his feelings about Sage and about Sage as a person. When they do kiss, Sage tells Logan that she is transgendered and he rejects her with disgust in his mind. He battles with his desire for her, the fact that she's transgendered, and with what the world views it as. He continues the relationship on and off with her, breaking up and making up and even having a short physical relationship. After it ends Sage goes on a date with another boy and when he finds out her secret he beats her within an inch of her life. She goes to the hospital and it brings up past feelings of her suicides and the idea that she doesn't fit in in their society. The novel ends with them somewhat amicably when they both go off to college and Sage writes Logan a note forgiving him of the experience.

Critical Evaluation:
I thought that this book was very well crafted because it really made you feel for all of the characters involved in it. You root for them to be the people that you want them to be and that they want to be themselves. A major criticism that I do have for this book is that it was narrated from Logan's perspective and not from Sage's. It is a story about a transgender teen girl, but written from a perspective of a (at first narrow minded) straight male. I can imagine it being hard for transgendered people to read the portions about hate towards transgendered people and how others may view them. The story is not very upbeat either, but instead it is sad and heart wrenching when you just want one of the main characters to be accepted for who she is.

Reader's Annotation:
Logan is a high school senior in Missouri when a new girl comes to school; he is attracted to her and comes to find out that she was actually born a male and is becoming a female.

Websites to look Into:
http://briankatcher.com/site/

The Author:
Katcher has worked many odd jobs, lived on an Israeli military base, and is a school librarian.

Awards:

American Library Association as one of the Best Books for Young Adults in 2010.

A Capitol Choice Noteworthy Book for 2010

A Lambda Award nominee, 2010

A 2011 TAYSHASH (Texas) Reading List Book

Similar Books:
"Boy meets Boy" by David Levithan
"I am J" by Chris Beam
"Parrotfish" by Ellen Wittlinger

Booktalking Ideas:
Discussing gender identity in society and how it is perceived

Genre:
Gender Identity, Fiction

Interest Age:
16+

Challenge Issues:
Gender Identity
This book can be a challenge because it deals with a transsexual girl and a typical 18 year old boy and the attraction between them. To combat this I would say that it is important to talk about people and the many challenges that they have in life. There are many people that might be going through similar situations and for them this book would be helpful and comforting.

Why this Book?
I chose this book because it brings up a good subject and also lends another viewpoint to life other than what the majority of people know. I think having a subject that deals with gender identity in this format is essential when reaching out to young adults.