Beautiful Something Else, by Ash Van Otterloo

Each Friday that school is in session, I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Sept. 6, 2024 is The Beautiful Something Else, by Ash Van Otterloo.

It’s exhausting trying to be the perfect daughter. Still, getting good grades without making any waves may be the only way to distract from the fact that Sparrow Malone’s mother is on the verge of falling apart. Which means, no getting upset. No being weird. No standing out for the wrong reasons. But when Mom’s attempts to cope spiral out of control, Sparrow is sent to live with Aunt Mags on a sprawling estate full of interesting, colorful new neighbors. And for the first time, trying to fit in doesn’t feel right anymore. Even Sparrow’s shadow has stopped following the rules. As Shadow nudges Sparrow to try all the scary, exciting things Mom has always forbidden, Sparrow begins to realize something life-changing: They don’t feel like a girl. Or a boy. And while this discovery is exciting, now Sparrow must decide whether to tell everyone the truth — especially if it means things change forever.
https://youtu.be/reHPSpnAWRE

Enjoy the First-chapter Friday playlist on YouTube:
https://bit.ly/FCF-playlist