Oh, Bug. What a memorable character. Kyle Lukoff knows how to write middle-grade and what an important middle-grade this was. Books about grief are hard to read but sometimes necessary. Paired with this story about identity and I think this is a necessary and important addition to all middle-school libraries.

This is full of all the emotions you want from hope to sadness. It might not be the story for everyone, but a young reader ghost story. It more than that though. It is a story described as one of self-discovery. The writing is good, and the characters are well developed. This is designed for middle schoolers. Older reader may like it even more and feel an even better benefit or connection. There is grief in this book, but it is engaging and worth a read. It is also thought provoking. This is a magical book with realism throughout.

I’ve been trying to catch up on some books I didn’t get to when they were released (some, like this one, I had an ARC of—though I read the finished copy), so I had to read Too Bright to See, the first middle grade novel by Kyle Lukoff. Look at all those awards!

Like Dear Mothman, this one involves the supernatural—a haunted house, specifically, with a ghost that needs our main character Bug to know something. The ghost appears to be the recently deceased uncle of Bug. There’s definitely something to be said about these two books and young trans characters connecting with the supernatural! In this one, dysphoria is its own kind of horror.

The ghost story is fairly straightforward and not particularly spooky—it reads more like a contemporary. But I really appreciated how Lukoff wove together shifting friendships and expectations on girls entering middle school. The most impressive was how the first-person narrative completely shifted in tone once Bug realized he is a trans boy…it became so much lighter and happier. Masterful.

From the cover of this book, I was expecting quite a creepy/spooky story, so I feel like my expectations for this novel were a bit askew. However, I did enjoy the overall plot. I love middlegrade stories featuring lgbtq+ characters discovering their true selves, Bug was a delight to read about.

This is a very sweet, sad, and hopeful book that is a quick read and so very welcoming.

Bug lives in a haunted house and has all their life. At the very beginning of the story their Uncle Roddy passes away at a young age from illness and Bug begins to believe the ghosts in the house are telling them something important. It has some scary elements with the ghosts, but it's really about self discovery. It's a beautiful book and definitely needed.

Too Bright to See was a haunting story that began about grief. The paranormal/ghostly aspect was incredibly enticing and I loved that Bug's journey was so much more than just transitioning. Born female, Bug struggles with the death of his uncle and swears he can hear his uncle's ghost. I'm having trouble writing this review simply because I don't feel like words do this book justice. Haunting and enticing - a must read, that's all you need to know!

There are really not enough words to describe how much this book impacted me. The journey of self discovery and identity goes through is beautiful and so poignant. It was a story of grief and at the same time a creepy ghost story. The author masterfully weaves the ghosts into detail of Bug's grief into his coming out story as trans. I did not think the story would work but it really does and I recommend it to anyone who loves a great ghost story.

Didn't capture my attention and engagement. Interested in trying it again though and hopefully it will take.

This was a beautiful book.

Bug lives in a haunted house and has gotten used to the spirits that live there. When her uncle dies, things get really weird, almost scary. At the same time Bug is trying to figure them self out and while their best friend is finding herself by becoming more feminine, it just doesn't feel right to Bug.

I loved Bug and wanted them to be happy. I read this book quickly and found I was truly caught up in the story and didn't want it to end.

This is an engaging and wholly effective story about a young trans boy discovering himself and finding confidence. I loved that this story focused on Bug/Tommy finding himself and not on people not accepting him. It is a story that treats trans identity as a factual reality -- refreshing and necessary to see.

This was a lovely middle grade story that weaves together the struggle to find one’s identity, grief, school anxiety, friendship challenges, and a ghost story. All of these elements were woven together brilliantly, and I genuinely enjoyed this book.

Bug is an 11 year old living in rural Vermont in a haunted house. After Bug's uncle Roderick dies, Bug and Bug's mother are going through the grieving process, even as Bug is having some anxiety about starting middle school at the end of the summer. Then weird things start happening in the house and the ghost story and the coming of age story unite. Without giving too much away, this is a slightly scary ghost story, but also an LGBTQ story. It might have too happy an ending, but perhaps for young readers, positivity outweighs realistic possibilities.

This book is a slow, lush examination of dealing with grief and identity. Bug hates her given name and refuses to use it, but doesn't quite understand why. Bug is also dealing with the loss of her Uncle Roderick. Bug is also feels like an outsider as her best friend, Moira can talk about nothing but boys and their upcoming year at middle school, something Bug finds they have not interest in. When a ghost begins appearing to Bug, they must discover not only who it is, but why the ghost is visiting them. Through this, Lukoff allows Bug to question their gender identity, and takes the reader along for Bug's discovery. While reading this book, it brought up memories of lazy summer days while at the same time wanting that final "pay off" of Bug's realization of their gender identity. This was sensitively done, and I look forward to reading Lukoff's future work.

Thank you Dial Books and NetGalley for sharing a copy in exchange for an honest review. This was a fast read full of so much emotion. I loved the ghost story mixed with self-discovery.
3 things about this book:
1-strong emotions
2-mystery
3-finding and being yourself

I hope you read!

This is a quiet book, but it is one that has a lot to say. I loved the atmosphere and the familial connection threads throughout. So lovely and so necessary to have this story on middle grade shelves.

11-year-old, Bug is struggling with his transgender identity. Having recently lost his drag queen, beloved Uncle Roderick, Bug’s summer hasn’t been easy. A new resident ghost in his family’s Vermont house keeps trying to send Bug a message, Bug’s mother is struggling to pay the bills. Bug’s well-intentioned friend, Moira, keeps trying to push Bug into having a feminine makeover, which he’s not sure if he’s ready for. As Bug investigates the ghost and the message they are trying to convey, Bug discovers more and more about self-identity. Will Bug come to terms with being transgender? Will he accept his uncle’s death? A magical realism book with portrayals that will ring true with teens facing similar crises. The characters are realistic and well-portrayed. The plot is engaging and thought-provoking. Readers who are looking for a book dealing with LGBTQ issues, self-identity, or grief will enjoy reading this book. 3.5 stars, Grades 5 to 9

Please note: This was a review copy given to us by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No financial compensation was received.

Can I even begin to describe my love for this book? I expected it to be more ghost story but was surprised by the depth of the characters. I will be recommending for kids ages 11+

I couldn't put this compelling middle grade book down! It starts out as a ghost story, with the protagonist's uncle dying and possibly haunting her house, but over time the story morphs into something much more powerful, exploring issues of grief, identity, friendship and family.

"Too Bright to See" by Kyle Lukoff is a haunting story of grief, ghosts, and growing up. It's a wonderful middle grade book featuring a transgender character that isn't all about coming out. Instead, Bug has plenty of other things going on!

I wanted to LOVE this book. I'd read several reviews about it, and my favorite librarian Betsy Bird gave it a glowing write-up recently, and of course I want to support fellow librarian Kyle Lukoff on his MG book. But I didn't LOVE it. I liked it fine. I liked the way Kyle wove together the ghost story and Bug's story, and the lovely way Bug figured out things about who they were.
But the writing was clunky to me. I didn't come upon any sentences that wowed me, sentences that made me highlight them in my Kindle so I could go back and reread them. And that made me sad, really. I did highlight a couple of paragraphs where the sentences just didn't flow at all. I just wanted to fall in love with the writing, and I didn't.