145. "Beautiful Music for Ugly Children" ~ Kirstin Cronn-Mills

Gabe has everything going for him: a tight friendship with Paige, a rockin' radio show, and a brand new Mango.

Mango?

This young adult novel explores the life of a transgendered youth. Gabe, formally known as Liz, is trying out the life of a teenaged boy. His radio listeners believe he's a man, as well as Paige. But what about his family and the rest of his small town?

What's lovely about this book is its attention to detail and description. Each chapter is titled by radio show number. The scope of music is so vast that I've actually gone to iTunes to listen to some of the eclectic mixes. But it is Gabe's charm and frustration that create weight to this novel. As he says, he looks out of boy glasses, while society put girl glasses on his face. Like so many other young men in literature - Holden Caulfield, Pip Pirrip, Jem Finch - he climbs his mountain, pulling the reader along for the ride.

Oh, and a Mango? Look it up.

Why no cover? Because this is the fabulous manuscript that I was lucky enough to read pre-press. To launch this writer's career, contact me at emeraldwriter at yahoo.com.