Lily and Dunkin
This is the story of two friends who meet the summer before eighth grade. Lily is a transgender girl who was born Timothy, but has slowly begun the process of transitioning into life as a young lady despite the objections and lack of support from her father. Dunkin, or Norbert Dorfman as his birth certificate states, recently moved to Florida with his mom and lives with his eccentric workout/health-food obsessed grandmother, Bubbie. The two meet and immediately hit it off despite their differences and a friendship blossoms. However, once school begins, Dunkin is accepted by the "Neanderthals" (the group of jocks that bully Lily any chance they get) thanks to his height and promising future on the school basketball team and Dunkin sees it as his chance at having friends, being accepted despite his past, and maybe even being popular. The divide grows between Dunkin and Lily as the story progresses and more details emerge about Dunkin and his hidden past. Turns out he is bipolar and struggles with functioning when he decides not to take his antipsychotic medicine. Meanwhile, Lily continues to transition and grows braver as her dad finally starts to understand her need to be her true self. By the end of the book, Dunkin's secrets come out and he is left to see who his true friends are.
This story is excellent in teaching empathy for transgender children and young adults. It also is very eye-opening to the struggles faced by those afflicted with mental illness and the effects their illness has on those that love them. I was able to truly feel what Lily and Dunkin went through thanks to this author's writing. The bullying endured by Lily was heartbreaking and infuriating as a teacher knowing this goes on in schools every day. Whether you agree with the issues discussed in this book or not, I think it is important to read to understand what others go through.
Donna Gephart's website:
Other recommended books about transgender issues for teens:
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