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Juvenile Fiction. Juvenile Literature. LGBTQIA+ (Fiction.) From the author of the critically acclaimed Gracefully Grayson comes a thoughtful and sensitive middle-grade novel about non-binary identity and first love, Ami Polonsky's Spin with Me. In this elegant dual narrative, Essie is a thirteen-year-old girl feeling glum about starting a new school after her professor dad takes a temporary teaching position in a different town. She has 110 days here and can't wait for them to end. Then she meets Ollie: delicate, blue eyes, short hair, easy smile. At first, Essie thinks she has a typical crush on a beautiful boy. But as her crush blossoms, she soon realizes that Ollie is not a boy or a girl, but gender non-binary. Meanwhile, Ollie is experiencing a crush of their own . . . on Essie. As Ollie struggles to balance their passion for queer advocacy with their other interests, they slowly find themselves falling for a girl whose stay is about to come to an end. Can the two unwind their merry-go-round of feelings before it's too late?… (more)
User reviews
This is quite possibly the cutest book I've read this year. I couldn't stop smiling while reading it. Essie and Ollie are both relatable, and it was easy to connect to each even if you don't identify with them. I personally did identify with Essie, and maybeOllie as well, so I can imagine how helpful and possibly educational this can be to young teens trying to find themselves.
I actually really liked the perspective switch in the middle. I loved that we got to see things from Ollie's side as well as Essie's. Essie's part counts down to the day she leaves North Carolina, while Ollie's section starts from they day they met Essie and counts up to the day she's supposed to leave. I've never read a book that does this, so I actually really enjoyed that. When you're reading Ollie's section, not only do we see the events Essie described through their eyes, but you also see new things that sort of change the entire story. You also get to know the other characters that Essie doesn't know as well as Ollie.
The tone did feel a bit mature for thirteen year olds at times, but as someone who was more mature at that age, it sort of does make sense. Overall, this was a sweet, quick read that I'll definitely recommend to nearly everyone!
Disclaimer: I received a gifted copy of this book via Rockstar Book Tours. This did not influence my opinion in any way.