What saves this from being your standard problem novel are some very solid characterizations, Ms. Gephart's ability to avoid the obvious in plot development and a kind of unique "layering" of the various issues. There isn't one issue, there are many. Lily needs her Dad to see her as she is, but she also needs to deal with bullies at school. Dunkin needs to be true to himself but also be honest about his own challenges. There is a tree that needs saving and a few lessons learned along the way which are just subtle enough to make an impact without hitting you over the head. The extensive afterwards in the book makes for some good learning. I was surprised by information on topics about being transgender and living with bipolar issues which I was unaware of. Don't let kids turn away from this book because of the blah cover art and the sense that this is a romance. It isn't. This is a novel of exploration of self. The eighth grade age is perfect for this kind of discussion and the back-and-forth internal struggles of the two protagonists absolutely hit the right mark in terms of being realistic. The one unrealistic part may have been the "all is well/neatly tied up" ending, but by then I cared so much about the characters that I really wanted things to work out. It's a great read and about more topics than you might expect, given it's status as an "LGBT" title. It's rounded -- just like life. Enjoy.
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