There’s a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom
There’s a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom by Louis Sachar has been making the rounds on social media lately because of the title. I wanted to read it again because I didn’t remember it from more than thirty years ago, and I wanted to be prepared in the event someone waves it around as if it has anything to do with trans rights or transphobia. (Spoiler: it doesn't.) Or I thought I didn’t remember it. It turns out I do remember part of it, in particular one line that comes to me every single time I’m in a public restroom with a stranger! It’s funny how these things stick with you. The book is a redemption story of a boy who just can’t seem to help being bad. The second half of the book is especially wonderful, with an emotional ending.
We Are Totally Normal
We Are Totally Normal by Rahul Kanakia is a book about high school teenagers and their social lives. There is a good amount of LGBT+ representation, and it is handled as the totally normal thing it is (not intentionally quoting the title). There is a presence of descriptive sex, which I skipped over at my teen’s request. The main character has issues with sex that are not often talked about, and I think it’s good that it was represented here, though I wish it had been discussed more, especially to make it clear everything was fully consensual. There wasn’t any violation here, just people sometimes doing things they didn’t necessarily want to, but not with coercion or anything like that. Typical teen-brain decision making, I’d say. It wasn’t our favorite book, but it was not a bad book. I didn’t rate it down just because it wasn’t my cup of tea.
This was a light reading week because I had a lot on my plate, like getting ready for the St. Patrick's Day parade in my town. I did read a couple more books in one of the mystery series, but nothing new to report. I'm still ahead of schedule on my reading goal.
How are you doing on your reading goals this year? Is the excitement of the new year waning, or are you getting into a groove now that the holidays are far behind us, and the days are getting longer?
If you'd like to see everything I'm reading, you can find me on Goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/ktlasers
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