Girl Mans Up

Pen (short for Penelope) struggles to make sense of family pressures, turbulent friendships, and first romance in this slice-of-life coming-of-age novel from debut author Girard. As a girl whose gender expression does not fit into conventional categories-her fauxhawk and boys' clothes confuse people-Pen reflects, "I'm not a boy, but I don't want to be that girl either. I just want everyone to...let me do my own thing." Pen's struggle for self-definition plays out in three braided plotlines: tensions rise between her and her traditional Portuguese-immigrant parents after her older brother, whom she idolizes, moves out. Her longtime friend Colby, who has served as a social shield for her at school, becomes controlling, cruel, and creepy when Pen starts to question his treatment of other girls (in a particularly uncomfortable scene, he pressures Pen for sex). Finally, Pen starts dating classmate Blake and helping her with a photography class project that also underlines many of the novel's themes. Although Pen's parents skate a bit too close to immigrant stereotypes, and Blake's character is somewhat generic, Girard nevertheless offers an original, impressively nuanced drama built on themes of identity, respect, and the desire to be recognized for who you are. claire e. gross

Pen (short for Penelope) is a girl whose gender expression doesn't fit into conventional categories. Her struggle for self-definition plays out in three braided plot lines: tensions rise between her and her traditional Portuguese-immigrant parents; a longtime male friend turns cruel; she starts dating a female classmate. Girard offers an impressively nuanced drama about the desire to be recognized for who you are.