This is a touching story about gaining self-confidence, coming out of the closet, and dealing with childhood trauma. This book is perfect for middle school audience, and would be a good tool for empathy building.

Graphic memoirs always stick out to me but this one is very moving. There’s only so much one person can take and the main character of this story handles it better than I know I could. It definitely belongs in middle grade libraries.

A fun new graphic novel for the 10 to 14 crowd (of course, adults must read as well). The trials of growing up are never easy, but when you are "not like other boys" (and that's really never a good thing, or so it seems), it is even harder. But Damian learns that the ins and outs of growing up have bumps, but there are a lot of good things, too.

This was a great graphic novel for tweens and teens, especially those who have dealt with trauma in their families. Hand to students who liked New Kid or Hey Kiddo.

I loved this book. I first heard of Damien Alexander when I read an article he wrote about my favorite Disney movie - Lilo & Stitch - and what it meant to him as an orphan. I knew that Other Boys would be amazing and it did not disappoint.

I hope this isn't his only book.

I was blown away by this heartfelt exploration of gender, sexuality, and grief for kids. I really liked the art style of this graphic novel, and I really appreciate the full color. I'd absolutely recommend this, and I think it has a lot to say about bullying, expression, and identity.

Reminded me of the same vibe as Hey Kiddo, another book where the content is pretty high even though the main character is still a middle grade protagonist.

A middle grade memoir about bullying, death of his mother, and coming out. This book is cute, sad, funny, and so very frustrating to see how this child was treated. The art was adorable and the I really enjoyed how the letters looked. I was almost instantly super invested in the story. I know that it is going to turn out ok, because it is a memoir. But every part of me wanted to scoop up this child and bring him home to live with me. It was well written, my middle schoolers will completely relate and love this story. I can't wait until I can get my hands on a physical copy.

Other Boys is a strong memoir in the graphic novel format. Damian had faced many hardships in his life and there are lots of moments that will resonate with kids about growing up. Although heartbreaking at times, this story is ultimately a hopeful one. I look forward to sharing it with kids this school year.

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

In this autobiographical graphic novel, we see how difficult young Damian's life is. His mother is killed when he is a baby, so he is being raised by his grandparents, who are not well off. School is difficult, and changing schools often leads Damian to decide to not talk at all in school in the 8th grade. He is a sensitive boy, who is often told that the choices he makes are "girl" choices, and he thinks it best to fly under everyone's radar. This doesn't always work, but it does get him recommended for therapy with a school counselor, although he doesn't think he will benefit from talking to her, either. There are some students who are nice to him, like Mark, and his grandmother and brother David are supportive, although his grandfather dies of cancer. His best friend is a girl named Sylvia, and he is comfortable hanging out with her friends until they get further into middle school and decide that they can't be friends with boys. There are some better moments, like hanging out with gamers who accept him, and even meeting a nonbinary person named Taylor. At one point, he draws the line between all of the slurs of "gay" that are hurled at him, and his feelings about finding boys attractive, but he doesn't get much support in processing this. Having a pet cat helps with his anxiety somewhat. In general, though, Damian's life is filled with trauma that he finds hard to deal with, although he eventually gets some support from the school counselor.
Strengths: I can't think of another book dealing with selective mutism from the point of view of the person experiencing it, and this certainly has lots of details about how being uncomfortable with aspects of one's identity can have a devastating impact on one's life. There is a lot of discussion about gender stereotypes that have changed a bit, but exposing toxic masculinity and its effects goes a long way to preventing its survival. Readers who are having difficulty in their own lives might take comfort from this, and readers who aren't might learn some empathy.
Weaknesses: I wish that specific dates had been mentioned. From the geometric graphics on the cover and some internal clues like Cabbage Patch dolls and an ALF stuffed animal, I'm guessing that this is set in the mid 1980s. This is important, because the experience of a student coming out in middle school might be somewhat different in the 2020s.
What I really think: This is a somewhat less traumatic version of the family dynamics examined in Krosoczka's Hey, Kiddo with the addition of the problems embracing sexual identity, and is in line with other graphic novel style memoirs like Hale's Best Friends and Telgemeier's Smile.

Other Boys written by Damian Alexander is a graphic novel that will speak to many students. Damian's memoir about bullying, LGBTQ, and grief is an essential graphic novel to include in a middle school classroom. This book would be an excellent addition to a memoir unit in book clubs with Hey, Kiddo. I cannot wait to have a physical copy to truly see the artwork in this one and get it into the hands of kids who need to see themselves with these topics and see their friends/classmates to find empathy.

I thought this was fantastic. It was a sharp look at how YOUNG bullying starts and can affect a child long term. I thought this was a fantastic look at trauma and how we still need to do better. I loved the art and his reasoning for its particular style. I love a graphic memoir and this one knocked it out of the park.

This is an ideal middle school graphic novel: true story, brightly colored, narrator struggling to find themselves/fit in, bullies, friendship. It will be ideal for students who have read all the Raina Telgemeier’s and are looking for “older” content but aren’t quite ready for the harshness of something like Hey Kiddo.

It’s also a beautiful coming of age story for a young gay person, and it offers a critical look at traditional gender roles and the boxes we put children in. I also liked how the author, Damian Alexander, reflects on how people who loved him very much made some very poor choices in the name of helping him. I also appreciated how he addressed his struggles with mental health and the important role a therapist played in his life.

This book is filled with tragedy but ends with hope and happiness. It’s a book that will easily find its readers in any middle school library.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in return for my honest review.

I've been reading a lot of LGBTQ middle grade books recently, and this was the toughest read just because of the heaviness. It was a real heartbreaker, especially knowing that it's based on the writer/illustrators life. The level of bullying is more severe compared to other books I've read for this age group, but I have no doubt that it's honest and that a lot of kids in similar situations to Alexander - whether it's because of sexual orientation, different family circumstances, poverty - will recognize themselves here. I loved how it started in 7th grade and slowly went back and highlighted the experiences that brought him to that point. I think the ending felt a tiny bit rushed, but I'm glad it ended on a more optimistic note, and I'm sure that'll make an impact on some young readers. Will definitely be adding this to our library collection.

Damian isn't like other boys. He lives with his grandparents, he wants to play with dolls, and he hates the other boys. Upon entering 7th grade, Damian is starting at a new school and decides that he just won't talk at all, that way the other kids will have no reason to pick on him. Unfortunately, this plan backfires and he becomes the target of his peers' taunting.

This middle-grade graphic memoir is raw and emotional. It tackles many difficult topics from diverse families to coming out. I also love that this book normalizes therapy.

Mark your calendars for September 6th so that you don't miss this fantastic grahic novel release!

A good memoir into the experience of figuring out one’s sexuality. It had a lot of moments those who are out, are figuring it out, or are in the closet can relate to

Definitely a solid graphic novel for boys who don’t feel like they fit into the binary of “what men should be” and feel like a fish out of water. The memoir-sequel style was heartfelt, but the story just fell a little flat.

2.5 stars. An important story, but ultimately, common and therefore I wanted something more out of this graphic memoir that I didn't get. A good addition to a shelf of LGBTQ graphic memoirs, especially focusing on the younger years, but not distinctive.

I found this to be well-written and heartfelt, and it really underlined a lot of the dangers of gendered expectations in a way that really got to me. I wanted to go back in time and give him a dollhouse!

Damian has always felt different from other boys, preferring activities like playing with dolls, reading fairy tales, and sewing to GI Joes and superhero movies. He was teased and bullied relentlessly for being “gay” and a “homo” long before he knew what those words meant. Although it’s not discussed in detail, the reader learns that Damian’s mother was murdered by his father when Damian was a small child. Now, he lives with his brother and grandmother in a small apartment. Tired of being the “dead mom” kid and a target for bullies, Damian stops talking on the first day of 7th grade. After months of silence and loneliness, Damian finally shares his feelings with a kind therapist, who also helps normalize his crushes on boys. Friendly peers, including a couple of cute boys, begin to draw him out of his protective shell, lending a hopeful note to an often heartbreaking graphic memoir. Inspired by colorful cartoons, funky arcade decor, and VHS tape boxes, Damian Alexander’s artwork is both firmly rooted in his childhood era and as timeless as a child’s secret pain. Other Boys is a heartfelt graphic memoir about the loss of a parent, coming out, bullying, and self-acceptance. It’s an excellent addition to shelves that already include options for slightly older readers, such as Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka and Brave Face by Shaun David Hutchinson.