SO MUCH FUN! I heard great things about this book and it did not disappoint. I enjoyed the romance and the coming of age story was really great. More queer sports novels, please!

DNF. It’s not for me. I must’ve requested this based on the cover because I didn’t realize what it was about it.

This book was amazing! I enjoyed every second of it. If you liked Shes the Man but with an actual good premise and romance but with the soccer and cute moments, then look no further! This was such a cute book. I recommend everyone read this book and get more trans representation out in the world!

I enjoyed the characters and intensity in this book. I am glad to see more books like this coming out. It was relatable to many readers.

Some books just check off all the right boxes and The Passing Playbook certainly delivered.

It's relatable. People are people. Puberty is puberty. I am certainly not alleging that some people do not have a harder time in life and in adolescence but we can all relate to the awkwardness of learning about ourselves, our bodies, our minds. At 32, I'm still learning about myself, and frankly, I hope I never stop.

Spencer is finally feeling like himself. He's starting a new school this year where no one knows him as anyone other than Spencer and that feels good. Except he wants to try out for the soccer team and his parents' aren't quite behind that decision. So what choice does he have but to go behind their backs and try out anyway.

Honestly a lot of tumultuous things happen in this book, but it doesn't come through as overly dramatic. Luckily Spencer has a phenomenal support system so he gets through it and comes out stronger and meets a lot of amazing people along the way.

I was able to learn more through reading this book, about tolerance versus acceptance, about life for trans people and their families, about the hope we see in the younger generations and the generations that will come after them.

It's so important that we have books that reflect main characters that EVERYONE can see themselves in. I'm glad that Spencer can be that for so many young people now.

Spencer Harris starts at a new private high school in his sophomore year after being bullied and receiving death threats at his old school for being transgender. Spencer is starting this school with a fresh start as a boy, without coming out. He had played soccer in middle school, and was excited to play on the high school team. It gets more complicated when he starts to like one of his teammates, Justice. Spencer is one of the best players on the team, until the coach learns that Spencer’s birth certificate lists him as a female, which would disqualify the team from playing in the final tournament. Spencer has to figure out how to continue being himself while also fighting for queer and transgender rights.

This story had such a cute romance. Spencer and Justice were perfect together. There was a lot of tension in their relationship because Spencer wasn’t out as transgender and Justice wasn’t out as gay. They had to hide their relationship from a lot of people but I was rooting for them the entire time.

There were some devastating scenes in this story. Spencer was lucky to have such a supportive family. They were learning along the way with Spencer, but they made an effort to figure everything out to make his life the best it could be. Even though he had his family’s support, Spencer still had to change schools because he was in danger. Justice was from an extremely religious family who didn’t hide their homophobia. Their school also wasn’t that open to making the school as accessible to queer students, even though they were considered progressive. Spencer’s story was uplifting, but there was a lot of homophobia and transphobia around him.

The Passing Playbook is a heartwarming transgender love story.

Thank you Penguin Young Readers for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Get ready to add a book to your wishlists because this YA coming-of-age (and queer romance) about a transgender teen who joins his school’s boys’ soccer team ticks so many boxes, I need more boxes.

Spencer Harris is the new kid at a liberal private high school. He is also transgender, which he wants to keep under wraps for a while because he received literal death threats after transitioning at his old school. Spencer joins the Gay-Straight Alliance (without coming out), where he meets Riley (a nonbinary teen). And, of course, he joins the boys’ soccer team. Although he does so against his parents’ wishes, who preferred he joined a co-ed league, and thus they cannot know.

Spencer doesn’t enjoy lying to his parents, but among his team members, he’s experiencing something that’s been in rare supply from his peers: acceptance and support. Because while his mom and dad support his transition and absolutely love Spencer (family dynamics are good and heartwarming, the mom is so fierce), there are just things they don’t get, like this not belonging on a co-ed team or the way Spencer feels as though his dad might not view him fully as a son. Spencer’s team, of course, doesn’t know his secret, and when Spencer ends up benched on account of his birth certificate — which cannot be changed in his home state to reflect his true gender — Spencer’s world suddenly feels on the verge of collapse.

Whether or not you’re an athlete or soccer pro like Spencer, what beats at the core of Spencer’s heart is his passion for the sport. And watching passionate people do anything is always engaging. Oh, and for all you romance lovers, you’ll find a budding and sweet YA romance among these pages too. First love, I tell you. *swoons* As a protagonist, Spencer is funny, a loving brother to his autistic younger brother (Theo, who loves nature documentaries), and a realistic teenager. He’s a bit impulsive, fights with his parents. There are misunderstandings and miscommunication.

There is so much more to say about this book (like mentioning that Spencer’s love interest is an LGBTQ+ individual living with homophobic parents) because The Passing Playbook touches on so many important topics and because it’s own voices, the representation is accurate. It’s a must-read!

The Passing Playbook is Isaac Fitzsimons’ debut novel and a standout YA.

What’s more to love: biracial Black trans main character, LGBTQIA+ representation, autism representation, autistic side character, nonbinary side character, chance of tears.

This small book is perfect.. I couldn't resist the characters and representation in this story. I'll be buying a hardcopy to keep around the house for my kids and I think it's important for every library of middle grade/YA books. As a queer adult, it made me so happy to imagine a childhood with books like this.

Wow. I don’t think I’ve read a book with a trans character that talked so personally about the transitioning process and struggles that come with just being trans even when they are passing to others. Not that every trans book has to be about that but the way it was written here felt really heartfelt and inspiring.

I really enjoyed Spencer’s story and Justice’s too. It was heartwarming to see the support Spencer received from his parents and friends, but that didn’t mean he didn’t still struggle. With Justice, I felt so heartbroken over his story. I share similarities with Justice’s background and can’t imagine the isolation and fear he must feel ever day. I liked how these two boys found each other and how they slowly became more honest and vulnerable. The ending was just sugar cinnamon-roll levels of sweetness that made my heart feel so happy.

Also, as a side note, as someone who does not play any sport at all, I really enjoyed all the moments with the soccer team. This story really highlights the struggle trans kids have in competitive sports and I’m so glad with author took the direction they did.

To me this book was such a fantastic LGBTQ+ YA title from the premise, to the cover, to being able to hear Isaac Fitzsimons talk about the book before I read it, I was PUMPED to get to read it prior to publication day thanks to Penguin Teen #PenguinPartner + winning a finished copy from BookishFirst which is just gorgeous.

YA today NEEDS more books that have such hope and realistic situations that ended in a positive way for all, that show real issues that put teens against big issues and this one had it all. How Fizsimons covers the discrimination and fear, first crushes and friendship, this book was just a joy to read. I loved the quick and easy writing style, with just the right amount of romance, family and friendship to give Spencer a supportive background.

Super excited to read more from Isaac in the future, what an incredible debut, 4.5 stars from me!

This book was absolutely so cute. Secret dating and enemies to friends to lovers it was just so cute and while being on a soccer team together!! Absolutely loved this

This is a beautiful, heartfelt novel of courage and acceptance. This represents one story of many to be told of the queer experience - what it’s like to be trans and passing in a new place. Many also can see themselves in the shoes of his romantic interest, caught in the midst of religion and queerness. I’m so here for all the queer sports YA novels coming out.

I am simply in awe of this book and this author! What a remarkable debut!

This is the story about Spencer, a young transgender teen who, after fearing for his life and safety in his old school, moves with his family to a new town to enroll in a progressive school where he hopes to fit in better. He is thrilled to be scooped up by the boys soccer team because he lives for the sport. Through the course of this book, Spencer has ups and downs, meets new amazing friends, makes a wonderful connection with a boy he can’t stop thinking about, and is able to make some really strong decisions for himself, doing some great work for the trans community.

Watching Spencer maneuver through the rocky terrain of discovering his new progressive school may not be as progressive as he hoped, and discovering that the boy he cares about comes from a family where Spencer is not only unaccepted, but thought of as an abomination, was incredibly powerful. Just watching this story unfold was such a beautiful experience. I cannot believe that this was a debut.

Not only did I love Spencer and Fitzsimons’s wonderful ability to pull you into this story, but the cast of characters in this book were top notch. From Spencer’s family to the people he meets at the QSA, to his teammates on the soccer team… I truly felt the love in this book and am looking forward to everything this author has in store for us in his future!

This book was fantastic. Everyone should read it. So many layers of goodness.

The conflict internally is well written and the external conflict is believable. I do not want to spoil anything. The synopsis is a good one, read this!

Thank you to Netgalley for the gifted ARC ebook and @PRHaudio for the ALC!

While I used to solely read YA so I could recommend books to my students, I haven’t read much YA lately, and especially really good YA. This book made me fall in love with YA lit again. It’s so cute but also has some really good representation.

I will say that the synopsis makes this sound like it’s all about activism, but that’s only a piece. Really it’s a story of young love, self acceptance, equality and family dynamics. For a debut novel, the author was able to make all of the side characters wonderful and developed. It’s got a bit of a sports romance element, the parents are wonderful and trying to be their best for their kids, and while it covers some important content that can be heartbreaking, it still leaves you feeling hopeful and happy at the end.

If you love YA books, absolutely pick this one up. I loved it.

This is novel has such heart and love in it! I absolutely loved reading, learning and thinking through this character's journey to play on the soccer team. I loved the main character and his family. The serious/difficult moments and situations in the book were balanced well and the book was still filled with humor and love. Many characters surprised the reader with their love and acceptance and I appreciated that. As a teacher, I would like to think if this student came to my school that many teachers and students would embrace him and love him. Wonderful book.

Timely: if you're trans and are at a new school, when do you "out" yourself (or do you?). This is the big question that Spencer has to answer... and one that is taken out of his hands by the F on his birth certificate, required to establish eligibility for playing on the school's soccer team. I've known several students who have started the process and this situation will probably occur in real life. Reading this book may help readers transitioning or those with teammates who have.

eARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.

Anything compared to Love, Simon is automatically added to my to be read pile and The Passing Playbook did not disappoint. Spencer is such a likable character and you can't help but want the world for him. The romance reminded me of "Autoboyography" by Christina Lauren in a good way. I really truly loved every minute of this book. Some of it was predictable, but sometimes you need that in a book. And I of course love that there is a HEA.

Already, I've forgotten quite a bit of this book, and I only finished it a matter of days ago. However, I remember it being cute and fairly light with an fun sort of enemies to lovers story, which I don't normally enjoy much.

Such an adorable and moving read. Spencer moves to another school after the bullying and isolation he experienced in his old school in the wake of his transition. Oakley is the most liberal private school in Ohio and he meets more accepting classmates, great new friends. He also gets a potential position in the soccer team where he meets Justice who he might have a more-than-friendship relationship with. But nobody knows he's trans-he's passing. He struggles with coming out to his new friends especially after a law forces Spencer's coach to bench him. I enjoyed following Spencer struggles but also the people around him, especially his brother who has autism, his parents who are still learning but also faces criticisms from others for being supportive of him, and Justice as well. I loved the exploration of religion and community and the difficulty of learning things about oneself that opposed beliefs taught since childhood. Also my favorite moment which made me cry is when Theo expressed his admiration for Spencer for being brave.