If You’re a Kid Like Gavin things are not as easy as you might like them. You need to deal with gossip, bullying and having to tell your parents that they thought you were a girl, but you are really a boy and the name given at birth does not fit. You are a trans kid who at first, seemed to be okay at school, being themselves, then things took a turn.
I like how Gavin Grimm and Kyle Lukoff presented this memoir. The story of Gavin is straight forward. While he dealt with things nobody should deal with, they are handled respectfully. Yes, this book can help you understand yourself if you are trans, but it can also help you understand your trans classmates, siblings, family, or community at large. And more importantly, it teaches you to stand up, speak out and fight for what you think is right.
The illustrations by J Yang are lovely, bold, and comfortable to view without compromising the message. The same is with the text. It is not confrontational or pushy, but matter of factually done. Maybe it is not presented in a way that makes it for all ages, but everyone who reads will come away with something. Will it change your mind on the subject? Probably not, but hopefully it will make you think about the strength of one person and their voice.
There is a lot going on between the covers of this picture book. It is a smooth read, and I would recommend it for your personal, school or local library.