Polonsky, Ami. Gracefully Grayson. Los Angeles; New York: Hyperion, 2014. 9781423185277.

Summary

Grayson, like all teenagers, is just trying to figure out who he is — but he has an added challenge. His biggest problem is that he’s in the wrong body, because for as long as Grayson can remember, he’s felt closer to the princesses of fairy tales — not the princes. After years of suppressing his identity Grayson realizes he is ready to start showing the world who he is and does so in a big way. Grayson tries out for the female lead in the school play — and gets it. What follows is a story of self-acceptance in the face of adversity.

Impressions

Gracefully Grayson is a beautifully written book that addresses a topic that many might consider difficult with a feather-light touch. This romance-free story focuses purely on how Grayson identifies and his path towards embracing who he is and how everyone around him handles this. There is no foul language and only one mildly violent scene in the book, but there is plenty of verbal bullying to help illustrate the difficulties Grayson faces. I enjoyed how Ami Polonsky understood that this is a “hot” topic and managed to delicately keep the focus solely on Grayson’s journey instead of delving into political debates. I think teens will be able to relate to Grayson’s desire to stay true to himself while still being afraid of what others may think of him.

Further Information

Gracefully Grayson is written for a teen audience, however, because of the clean language and actions in the story, it could be appropriate for upper elementary schoolers as well. This would be a wonderful addition to any display about LGBTQ teens or diversity within our communities.

If you enjoyed Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky, you might also enjoy I am J by Cris Beam, Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out by Susan Kuklin, and If You Could Be Mine: a Novel by Sara Farizan.

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