I've taken a long time to review this book, it's been quite some time since I was kindly given access to an ARC in return for an honest review and I've struggled over what to say.

I have followed the author and illustrator, Sophie Labelle online and really enjoy her work. Sophie herself is a transgender woman who has struggled to get people in her life to accept her as she is. I honestly expected to love this children's book - but I don't.

While I support the intention behind the book 100%, as a parent, and a qualified educator with a joint Education and Literature degree, I just can't lie and say that I think the book is well done. The story is stilted, some aspects I don't particularly like and as with many things which set out with the aim of 'educating' children I feel it fails to be engaging and entertaining enough to truly achieve it's goal.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The cover is eye-catching.
The title tells you everything you'll need to know for this book.
My children and I read this together. Both kids loved the story, loved the main character, and wanted to give her a big ol' hug. Books like this should be a staple in every school. We need tolerance, education and love now more than ever.

I'll definitely be looking out for other work by this author.

Sophie Labelle is one of my favorite webcomic artists (granted, she does much more than webcomics), and now she's here with a book for trans children, a demographic often ignored or overlooked in publishing. Stephie's character is authentic, funny, and, most importantly, relatable. I think trans children, particularly ones who are misunderstood by their families, will be able to see themselves in this story. Another thing I like about the book is that it includes discussion questions in the back. This would be a good book to consider in classrooms!

I loved this. The art was okay but the story was amazing. I’m so happy books like this exist for trans kids. This was such a cute trans positive book. I hope this paves the way for more books like this. Picture books need to be as diverse as our world.

This is a straightforward and I'm sure very realistic depiction of what a child who is trans could be dealing with as they struggle to navigate between who they feel they are and their parents expectations of them. Titles like this need to be written to both enlighten parents and adults, while providing a child with an example of the fact that they're not alone struggling with this and that others can and are in their situation too.

"No one except me gets to decide who I am."

In just 40-odd pages Sophie Labelle paints a very clear picture about what it's like to be transgender, and to explain it to kids reading without getting too technical about it. It shows how parents can deal with it, whether it be accepting, or struggling, and the pain that comes with the latter. It shows the 'simplicity' of being trans, and most importantly, it shows the happiness that comes with being able to be who you really are.

Also extra kudos for the parents being divorced (makes me wonder if they're divorced because of the dad struggling with accepting Stephie), and the mother having short, pink hair!

Also really enjoy the open ending, giving us and Stephie hope that her father will come around, as they clearly love each other very much.

A huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

This book is fantastic!

Stephie does a great job of explaining the point of view of a trans child, especially when trying to explain her gender identity to adults.

My favorite parts of the book are when Stephie says that her dad is a very stubborn adult and she thinks it is because the doctor was confused when she was born and called her a boy; and when her dad throws a tantrum in the costume shop.

This book would be a fantastic book to add to libraries and schools.

#MyDadThinksImAboyAtransPositiveChildrensBook #NetGalley

While the message of this book is something I stand behind the writing left me wanting more. Stephie's dad is an unlikable character that I don't think children will understand. While LGBTQAI books are definitely needed the illustrations in this book could have been done differently.

This book is so cute! It's simple enough for a young child to understand, it goes against gender stereotypes (Stephie likes bugs and books and spaghetti, and also wearing a pink tutu skirt), and it teaches kids about gender identity. Above all, it teaches kids to respect someone's gender identity. Stephie just wants her dad to accept her as who she is.

This book is great both to introduce young children to the idea of gender identity, so that they can understand what a friend or a family member might be going through, and for trans children to see themselves in a book that affirms their gender identity. This book should definitely be in classrooms and libraries!

Also, the art is really cute and cheerful.

Such a sweet book about being a trans kid and I loved how it focused on the parent's struggles, too. I wish it had been a little longer though. As a trans person, I appreciate this book a ton!

Every trans resource, especially from trans authors, are such important resources for kids and questioning adults alike, no matter where on their journey, having these resources is important.

This book did address a new look at sexual identity, but I thought it almost made fun of the subject. I was not sure if a child who was not dealing with this issue would understand it all. It seemed contrived.

I think this book is a great introduction to children about what it means to be transgender. I most appreciate that it's from a child's perspective -- it's an age appropriate look at what it means as a child embraces their gender, and how they feel as a result of their interactions with others. It's less about a political, religious, social or otherwise perspective, and more about the reality for Stephie. It was, admittedly, an emotional and frustrating read. To see the hurt from a child's perspective was difficult to read and not feel judgmental toward those who hurt them.

Admittedly, as an adult, I have so many more questions as a result of reading. Perhaps that's the beauty of "My Dad Thinks I'm a Boy?!" It will get you thinking and hopefully talking about it in ways that lead to understanding and inclusion. The discussion prompt questions at the end are a great way to engage readers about what it means to be transgender, gender norms and expression, stereotypes, and more.

I would recommend this book without reservation. It is a simple to understand book that has surprising depth. The author does a great job balancing a heavy topic with humor in both the text and illustrations. This book will be a great addition to any library.

Cute children's book describing the pain of being a transgendered child and working with your parents to be who you are. Aimed for young children.

Brilliant , simple way of explaining what trans means . Perfect for age group .
Simple to understand

I've followed Sophie Labelle online for a while and have some of her self-published books, so I was excited to see that Jessica Kingsley are publishing My Dad Thinks I'm a Boy?! (complete with class discussion questions at the back). This book is a great example of why I like Sophie Labelle so much. She makes things first and foremost for trans audiences; they're very useful for cis allies to learn more, but I like that she centres trans people in her work. Plus, she has a fun, accessible art style and I love her sense of humour.

Overall, this book is a great way to explain to kids what it means to be trans, and to show trans kids that they're not alone. When Stephie introduces herself, her hobbies and interests come first. She's a fun, bug-loving kid who also just happens to be trans. It's realistic too; sadly, parents don't always accept their trans children as they are. However, the fact that Stephie's mum supports her keeps it positive and reassuring.

I also enjoyed the humorous way that Stephie's dad is portrayed; she sees him as very stubborn and childish. He throws a tantrum when she tells him what she wants to dress up as for Halloween so she has to go along with wearing a "boys'" costume just to calm him down. This was a hilarious twist on the way trans kids are often portrayed by right wing media.

For anyone who read and enjoyed this book, I highly recommend looking up Sophie Labelle's other work online. Stephie and her friends are recurring characters in all her comics!

I was very kindly send a review copy of this book for free from NetGallery, in exchange for an honest review. 

This is a well written and powerful book which showing a trans child who trying to be who they are while navigating their parents thoughts. The story is written in language that children could relate to and understand and has pictures throughout to help illustrate the story. I particularly thought the picture of Stephie going to her dads where she knows she will get called by her own name and be referred to as his son was powerful in showing how this makes Stephie feel. 

The book tells the story of Stephie who despite doctors thinking she was a boy when she was born knows that they were wrong and she is actually a girl. Stephie is smart, funny and enjoys lots of different things. Despite not liking fishing or wrestling she does so to try and make her dad happy. This is mostly because Stephie's dad thinks she is a boy called Stephen. 

I think the book did a good job of showing Stephie's feelings vs her dads lack of understanding, and would be a good book for children and adults a like to read. It would be a great addition to a class or school library to be there for children to read, either to help them understand others or to reassure any children that feel the same that what they are experiencing is okay and people wont always act how you want them to but it's important to keep being you!

I would have liked this book to finish with Stephie's dad becoming somewhat more accepting but I know that is not often the way in 'the real world' so I understand why!  

At the end of the book there are points for further discussion and a list of further reading materials which I found really useful and interesting. I think it's a really useful resource to have, especially if the topic is not something you yourself feel comfortable with.

This is a great example of a book to introduce young children to transgender people and provide transgender children a book to help them feel less alone. I personally wish that the father hadn't been portrayed as childish in his reaction to Stephie because I fear more sensitive children who experience similar behavior from a parent might feel their worries or hurt feelings dismissed as overreaction. I know you can't cover too much in a 48-page children's book, but I will be careful which children I recommend this book to if they are being more forcefully denied their identity by an authority figure.

My Dad Thinks I'm a Boy?! is a great book to use with kids who are confident in who they are, but feel like they have disappointed the grown-ups in their life. Also, a great book to use with siblings, classmates or friends, who might have a hard time understanding the transgender people in their life.

What I appreciate most about Labelle's book, is she doesn't shame the dad who has a hard time accepting his daughter. She leaves it open with questions and space for the very real fear all kids have about disappointing their parents.

The questions and information in the back of the book, are well considered and would support class or family discussions. A great book for a school or public library looking to build a transgender positive collection.

A great book. It simply explains important information and empathizes with children who may not have a supportive parent.