Parrotfish (by Ellen Wittlinger)

When Grady decides to start living openly as a boy (instead of being a girl named Angela), he faces harassment at school, and hesitation from his oldest friend and some family members. But he also finds a new support system with friends who accept him, including a beautiful girl named Kita. Grady's family always puts on a big production for Christmas, including performing A Christmas Carol from inside the home for the whole town to see. This year, Grady rewrites the play to teach a powerful lesson about accepting change.

What Ellen Wittlinger does really well here is spell out the everyday complications that Grady faces once he decides to live life as a boy. Not only does he have to explain his new identity to family members, but he also has to worry about more mundane things, such as which bathroom to use at school or where to shower after gym class. Grady's certainly brave, and his family -- especially his mother -- works hard to understand him. Readers will understand why little moments are such a big deal, such as when a cashier calls him "sir," or when his mother finally uses his new name.

A secondary storyline about Grady's Christmas-obsessed father is a bit over the top, but this obsession does set the stage for a dramatic last scene. In the end, this is a good primer for teens who are curious about what it means to be transgender.