Abstract
Reviewed by: The Beautiful Something Else by Ash Van Otterloo Natalie Berglind Van Otterloo, Ash The Beautiful Something Else. Scholastic, 2023 [288p] Trade ed. ISBN 9781338843224 $17.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9781338843248 $17.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R* Gr. 4-7 Nature-loving Sparrow Malone is struggling under the weight of their mother's addiction, and the twelve-year-old is forced to take on adult responsibilities as best as they can while keeping Mom's secret. However, when Mom crashes her car while intoxicated, Sparrow has to stay with Mom's estranged sister Mags, a trans woman who inherited the estate Mom always says is full of shadows. Some part of that seems to be true, as Sparrow's shadow gains sentience and goads them into doing the things they were never allowed to do at home. At Windy Hall, Sparrow is free to wear the clothes they like, make the friends they were never allowed to have, and seek mentorship from queer adults who live nearby, including one who uses gender-neutral pronouns. Even so, Sparrow is always aware that the end of Mom's rehab stint will be the end of their freedom and support. This striking novel unflinchingly covers dark themes while threading hope through Sparrow's queer coming-of-age journey. Sparrow's relationship to their mother is handled with extreme sensitivity, realistically portraying the delicate balance that comes with compensating for a parent who can't completely provide—Sparrow loves their mom deeply and constantly tries to impress her even as Mom restricts their happiness and enforces heteronormativity. Much of the beauty of this novel sprouts from Sparrow's comfort in the natural world as they come to understand themself, their nonbinary identity, and their place through nature; additionally, metaphors for gender exploration (gender dysphoria as an itchy clothes tag) are extremely effective for this target audience. Kids using or considering a nonbinary label for themselves will benefit greatly from reading about Sparrow, and libraries and schools will want to fight to keep this beautiful book in their collections. Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
