Gracefully Grayson

By: Ami Polonsky

Narrated by: Emily Beresford

Length: 5 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's Summary

What if who you are on the outside doesn't match who you are on the inside?

Grayson Sender has been holding onto a secret for what seems like forever: "He" is a girl on the inside, stuck in the wrong gender's body. The weight of this secret is crushing, but sharing it would mean facing ridicule, scorn, rejection, or worse. Despite the risks, Grayson's true self itches to break free.

Will new strength from an unexpected friendship and a caring teacher's wisdom be enough to help Grayson step into the spotlight she was born to inhabit?

Debut author Ami Polonsky's moving, beautifully written novel about identity, self-esteem, and friendship shines with the strength of a young person's spirit and the enduring power of acceptance.

©2014 Ami Polonsky (P)2019 Tantor

Narrator doesn’t work

My 11-year-old was assigned this book for school. I previewed the paper version, and really enjoyed it. In an effort to help him get the book read in time, we tried the Audible version to listen to in the car and in the evenings at home. Unfortunately, the narrator just doesn’t work well with the story. It’s jarring to listen to, and interrupts the flow of the book. A smoother voice without the fall at the end of every word and phrase would sound better.

Knowing something with words

I saw a lot of my younger self in this book. Back then, in the 90s, loving in a highly conservative state in the US, we didn't understand ideas like transgenderism. Even just appearing anything but straight, thin and "normal" would get you targeted by your fellow youth.
I know now that what I felt and what Grayson felt was very normal and typical of transgender youth.
Grayson's struggle feels very familiar and I hope it can help some trans youth to realize they aren't alone in this.

Narrator not for me

I loved the book and I read it to decide if it would be appropriate for my students. I really enjoyed the story, but the narrator has an awkward way of ending every word and then almost every sentence sounds like a confused question. It bothered me so much that after part 1 I bought a copy of the book and finished reading it (in one evening, because I really enjoyed the book).

a story with a lot of emotion.

the biggest flaw with the story is I don't think it's quite long enough.
it introduced a lot of characters but I don't feel all of them were given adequate time to develop.

that being said it is still a lovely story.
it shows the struggles, the trials and the friendships of a young trans girl.
just trying to make sense of life, and not let the darkness consume the light.

the way the author expresses the characters emotions is near poetry.. it really is something to behold.