DIFFERENT KINDS OF FRUIT

Narrator Cassandra Morris's youthful tone fits Annabelle, a sixth-grader who has grown up sheltered in a small town until she crushes on Bailey, a new, nonbinary student. Transgender author Kyle Lukoff develops rounded characters with authenticity, all accurately portrayed by Morris. She captures Annabelle's confusion and curiosity about gender terms and her own identity, and, later, the freshness of Annabelle's new perspectives and her process of internalizing them. Metaphors and meaningful incidents aid Annabelle along a surprising path as she comes to better understand the world and herself amid clashes of prejudice, perspective, and privilege. The audio includes an afterword by Lukoff. He describes the book's journey, his personal experiences, and all the people who helped him. A great family listen for adults and children seeking to better understand gender identity. S.W. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2022]