Glitch Girl

Gr 5 Up–“I remember Mama’s doctor said I wasn’t supposed to be born. I didn’t come out like she wanted. I don’t make sense. So I’m a glitch.” Told in verse from their own perspective between fifth and seventh grades, J-, whose pronouns are she/they, deals with myriad emotions and difficulty in voicing them. Junie, an understanding and kind classmate, seems to be the rock that J- needs as they deal with misunderstandings on the part of fellow classmates, teachers, and even their own parents, due to being trans and having ADHD. J- develops romantic feelings for Junie that are most alive in her imagination. When classmate Garrison comes on the scene and homerooms change, J- is no longer around Junie on a daily basis but believes there’s still something between them, despite evidence to the contrary. During this time, readers are given a front seat to the daily simulated game that J- plays, “Coaster Boss,” in which J- is able to design roller-coasters and other rides to entice park attendees to visit. Often, however, the characters are sabotaged in relation to the frustrations going on in their own life, particularly in relation to gender identity and self-loathing. Readers will find J-’s depth and honesty compelling and real. Some scenes detail abuse at the hands ofbusy Jewish parents, who don’t take the time to get to know the real J-, as well as bullying from some peers. A content warning is found at the beginning of the book and the end includes an interview with the real Junie and Garrison counterparts. All characters read as white.