Episode 13 Accepting you for you: books that remind you you're good enough

Marisa and Mary are back! We had to re-record Episode 13 (we blame recording the first time on Friday 13th). We have a listener question asking for teen book recommendations with not so super hero powers. Check out the Books Mentioned below!  Marisa’s first book is Zenobia July by Lisa Bunker. A story about a trans girl starting a new life  and finally presenting as her true gender. In her previous life, Zen was a not so nice hacker, but now she is determined to solve a cyber mystery at her school. This book is full of family, found family, friends, and realizing you need to be true to yourself.  Marisa’s second book is an LGBTQ+ graphic novel: The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen. This is a story of fairy tales, identity, and culture. Tiến is a Vietnamese American boy who loves his friends and family but is struggling with a secret. How do you communicate with your immigrant parents when the words might not exist? The author deftly weaves and adapts fairy tales to tell and imagines what if we can have our happy ending.  Mary’s first book was Good Enough by Jen Petro-Roy. 12 year old Riley is anorexic and is in an inpatient treatment center. To get out she has to recover, but that is easier said than done. Written by an eating disorder survivor, this is a realistic depiction of inpatient eating disorder treatment, and a moving story about a girl who has to fight herself to survive.  Mary’s second book, Heart Stopper by Alice Oseman, is a graphic novel. This is a story where a boy meets a boy, the boys first become friends, then boys fall in love. But nothing is so simple. Charlie is out and proud but why does he accept being someone’s secret? Friendly rugby player Nick invites Charlie to the team, but questions his growing feelings. This is a sweet LGBTQ+ graphic novel about life, love, and everything that happens in between.  Books we talked about this episode:  Marisa’s books:  Zenobia July by Lisa Bunker. Middle Grade, Grades 5-8. Published by Viking Books for Young Readers. Published May 21, 2019.  The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen. Teen, Grades 7+. Published by Random House Graphic. Published October 13, 2020.  Mary’s books:  Good Enough by Jen Petro-Roy. Teen, Grades 6+. Published by Fiewel & Friends. Published February 19, 2020.  Heart Stopper by Alice Oseman. Teen, Grades 7+. Published by Scholastic Graphix. Published May 5, 2020.  Books mentioned:  Clowns in the Cornfield by Adam Cesare Felix YZ by Lisa Bunker Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling Chirp by Kate Messner From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks Goldie Vance series by Hope Larson Goldfish Boy by Lisa Thompson Perfect by Natasha Friend Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson Crank by Ellen Hopkins Truthwitch by Susan Dennard Andrew Lang’s Fairy Books Lobizona by Romina Garber Cinder by Marissa Meyer Jen Bartel’s work  You are Enough by Jen Petro-Roy  Bloom by Kevin Panetta  Prince & the Dressmaker by Jen Wang  Zeroes by Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan, and Deborah Biancotti  House of X/Powers of X by Jonathan Hickman, Pepe Larraz (artist), R.B. Silva (artist) New Mutants by Jonathan Hickman, Rod Ries (artist) Scott Pilgrim vs. the World by Bryan Lee O’Malley Spill Zone by Scott Westerfeld, Alex Puvilland (illustrator), Hilary Sycamore (colorist) Super Adjacent by Crystal Cestari Illusive by Emily Lloyd-Jones The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness Not Your Sidekick by C.B. Lee Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo