Alyssa Brugman

although I thought it was a very tough topic - the cruelty of girls and how tough it is to fit in. It also shows how tough it is fight the "popular" crowd social norms and go against the grain. Stand up and be proud? Make the "right" choice...even if it's not the popular one. All of these little sayings...we've told kids over the years. this book is a great example of just how tough that can feel. How easy it is so say it - how tough it is to really do it (and sometimes we don't because it's such a hard choice!)

However, I thought the main character's complete turn around near the end unbelievable. It just seemed so quick. When the first 3/4 of the book was slow and methodical and seemed to only cover a short period of time, the last 1/3 covers a pretty big span and finally the plot is revealed. I would have liked it to be longer to give the plot more time to play out and learn more.… (more)

Alex is not just your average teen dealing with emotions, identity and parents that are unwilling to listen or understand. Growing up Alex was always different, special. But now after making a life changing decision Alex is branded a weirdo and worse, and not just by strangers, just for accepting what Alex feels to be true on the inside. The struggles, conflicts and courage it takes to change a life and accept ones true self is a hard path to follow, especially for Alex.

Alex As Well is a challenging, charming and unique story of an individual who was raised as a boy, but who desperately want to be the girl Alex's feels to be on the inside. A story encompassing issues of gender, identity, acceptance and family. It tells of the pressures to conform to the expectations of peers, parents and society and the bravery it takes to challenge these expectations in order to be the person Alex is inside. A story that you will never forget and a girl you will remember always.… (more)

The cover first attracted me to this book. I read this one twice and it was easier to make sense of the second time. I'm pretty familiar with transgender and intersex conditions, so figured out what was going on pretty early in the story when Alex talks about medication, but younger readers or those who don't know much about gender diversity might be a little confused by "the two Alexes" and their sometimes different thoughts and feelings.

Alex is a girl whose parents raised as a boy. She is asserting her independence by enrolling in a new school as a girl. The problem is she needs a copy of her birth certificate. She seeks out a lawyer to help her get a birth certificate that matches her gender. Her parents, especially her mother, are endlessly frustrating and immature. So much could have been solved by effective communication.

I really like the voice of the author and I would read more by her. While in no means an instruction manual on gender issues, this is a good book for people who are open to reading about gender-varient people. I also recommend [Symptoms of Being Human].… (more)