Parrotfish by Ellen Wittlinger
Parrotfish
Pros
- Does not rely on romance
- Realistic representation of issues
- Highlights biological precedence
Cons
- Queer guilt
- Transphobia
- Minimal queer community
Title: Parrotfish
Author: Ellen Wittlinger
Original Publication Date: 2007
Original Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Queer Representation: 1 Transmale protagonist
Page Length: 287
One of the first QYA novels with a transgender protagonist.
Memorable Quote: “People changed lots of other personal things all the time. They dyed their hair and dieted themselves to near death … Why was gender the one sacred thing we weren’t supposed to change? Who made that rule?”
REVIEW:
When Angela Katz-McNair came out as a lesbian, her parents and friends barely batted an eye. However when Angela comes out as transgender and asks to be called Grady from now on, everyone seems to have more trouble. Grady’s mother cannot make sense of it, his best friend and sister are embarrassed, and only his father and brother seem to be somewhat more understanding. The only exception is Sebastian, a guy who takes TV Production with Grady is immediately accepting. Grady and Sebastian quickly become friends and Sebastian teaches Grady about different animals in nature that are known to switch genders (most notably the parrot-fish) and making him see that there is a biological precedent for being transgender.
Since Grady was home-schooled for most of his life, he is not exactly popular, but after coming out he becomes the subject of some unwanted attention. Thankfully, throughout the book Grady is able to build a team of allies. Meanwhile, at home things seem to be getting better but his mother still struggles to understand. One thing is for certain, however, by the time everyone comes together for Christmas Eve dinner at the end of the book, everyone’s perspectives will have shifted at least a little.
Ellen Wittlinger presents readers with a truly remarkable story in Parrotfish. Grady’s voice is quite unique and his story remains relevant over a decade after its original publication. Wittlinger clearly conducted a great deal of research for this novel, and the result is a resource that can be of use to teens and adults alike. My one complaint with the novel is the ending scene where Grady seems to feel the need to make it up to his family and friends for being trans. This sense of queer guilt is somewhat off-putting in a novel that is otherwise about self-embracing, but does little to detract from the overall significance that Parrotfish has had and will continue to have.
You May Also Like
