This week it’s a #throwbackthursday as we chat about a book that came out in 2016. The Stonewall Book Award winning, If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo. (Transcript)
In today’s episode…
Today we’re discussing If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo. Amanda is a normal high school girl and for the first time she’s given the chance to live like one. She’s a transgender teen who moves back in with her estranged father after the bullying and attacks at her old school become too much. At her new school no one knows she used to look like a boy, she’s just the pretty new girl. And it isn’t long before she has a group of good friends, a boyfriend on the football team and something that looks like the life she’s always wanted. Amanda’s father still struggling with fear for this new daughter, he thought was the son and Amanda tries to come to terms with keeping a secret from her new friends.
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Episode highlights…
Spoiler-Free
*2:20 Don’t skip the author Q & A in the back of this book!
*4:46 We loved Amanda’s group of friends
*7:29 Bee, and secrets as ‘friend currency’
Things We Like A Latte
Danielle – Brooklyn Nine-Nine is back on NBC!
Amanda – How the town of Astoria has rallied around it’s Coast Guard residents, and helped support them during the shutdown. If you want to help the men and women of the Coast Guard who are not being paid during the shutdown you can check out Coast Guard Mutual Assistance.
COMING UP NEXT WEEK: DEATH PREFERS BLONDES BY CALEB ROEHRIG
PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY!
Spoiler-Informed
*15:01 The title’s inspiration – and shouting out the gorgeous trans model gracing the cover, Kira Conley
*19:21 Why *this* story?
*21:19 “Let’s talk about Bee” – the ‘angry lesbian’ stereotype
*22:57 Amanda’s relationship with her parents (No, not our Amanda)
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More ideas and resources for teachers and librarians…
To quote Amanda (Thrasher) from the episode “The more books you have, the less every book has to be everything for every person”. Basically, this book might not be our favorite genre, but trans representation (#ownvoices, please!) is desperately needed in YA (and publishing in general) and trans stories of all kinds need to be in every classroom library.
Some other books we have featured that include trans POV characters are Blanca & Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore, and the wonderful short story Catch, Pull, Drive by trans athlete Shuyler Bailar was included in the incredible anthology Fresh Ink.
You can also check out this YA Trans Ownvoices Master List impressively compiled by Ray Stoeve, and it’s also worth checking out the full list of Stonewall Book Award winners dating back to 1971.
Get in touch with us on Instagram and Twitter at @yacafepodcast or email us at yacafepodcast@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you!
Credits…
Hosts: Danielle Hall (who blogs at teachnouvelle.com)
& Amanda Thrasher (a booklover extraordinaire)
Producer: Leila Hobbs
Music: Matt McCammon
Big thanks to Macmillan for sending us a copy of this book!
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