Happy Friday Book pals! Thank you Booksparks and author Julie Swason for the gifted #fallpopup book North of Tomboy which is out this Tuesday, Sept. 2.
Set in the 1970s, this middle grade novel is the story of 4th grader Jess who’s more comfortable in jeans than dresses and who’d rather play baseball with the boys than play dolls with the girls. When Jess gets yet another baby doll for Christmas, she turns it into the boy she wants to be. Jess names him Mickey and he becomes her alter ego. Here’s the full summary from the publisher:
Shy fourth grader Jess Jezowski turns the tables on her mom when she’s given yet another girly baby doll for Christmas. This time, instead of ignoring or destroying it, she transforms it into the boy she’s always wanted to be—a brave, funny little guy named Mickey. Making him talk, Jess finally lets the boy in her express himself.
But when Mickey evolves to become something more like an alter ego whose voice drowns out her own and the secret of him escapes the safety of her family, Jess realizes Mickey’s too limited and doesn’t allow the boy part of her a big enough presence in the world. She must find a way to blend him into her—so she can be that side of herself anywhere, around anyone.
Jess tries to wean herself from the crutch of Mickey’s loud, comical persona, and to get her family to forget about him, but she struggles to do both. What will it take for her to stop hiding behind Mickey and get people to see her for who she truly is? Based on the author’s experience growing up on Michigan’s rural Leelanau Peninsula in the ’70s, North of Tomboy includes artwork throughout.
This is an emotional story of how Jess learns to express herself and allow the boy part of herself out into the world. This book really hit home for me because I grew up during the time period of the book and I was a tomboy. I could really relate to Jess wanting to wear pants to school instead of a dress or a skirt and I loved playing and watching sports.
At first Jess uses Mickey as a stand in to voice her opinions and argue her case for wanting short hair or to not wear a dress. But she eventually realizes that she can’t hide behind Mickey forever. She learns to stand up for herself and to be able to show others who she truly is. After all, isn’t that what we all want? To be seen for who we are.
Any exciting plans for the weekend? We’re playing golf with friends this afternoon and then we’ll be watching college football tomorrow.
About the Author
Julie A. Swanson grew up on Michigan’s Leelanau Peninsula, the setting for this story. As a kid, she enjoyed exploring the great outdoors, building forts, playing pretend games, writing and illustrating poems and stories, woodworking, sports, art, and reading . . . but she could never find books about anyone who was as uncomfortable being a girl as she was, who loved a sport to the extent she did, or who had a Polish last name like hers (Polakowski). So she decided she would one day write those books. Now an author of middle grade and young adult novels, Julie lives in Virginia.
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