A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
A Rainbow Book List selection
A YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults selection
A witty, wise, and heart-wrenching reimagining ofย Beauty and the Beast that will appeal to fans of Rainbow Rowell and David Levithan.
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Tall, meaty, muscle-bound, and hairier than most throw rugs, Dylan doesnโt look like your average fifteen-year-old, so, naturally, high school has not been kind to him. To make matters worse, on the day his school bans hats (his preferred camouflage), Dylan goes up on his roof only to fall and wake up in the hospital with a broken legโand a mandate to attend group therapy for self-harmers.ย
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Dylan vows to say nothing and zones out at therapyโuntil he meets Jamie. Sheโs funny, smart, and so stunning, even his womanizing best friend, JP, would be jealous. Sheโs also the first person to ever call Dylan out on his self-pitying and superficiality.
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As Jamieโs humanity and wisdom begin to rub off on Dylan, they become more than just friends. But there is something Dylan doesnโt know about Jamie, something she shared with the group the day he wasnโt listening. Something that shouldnโt change a thing. She is who sheโs always beenโan amazing photographer and devoted friend, who also happens to be transgender. But will Dylan see it that way?
Praise for Beast:
"Writing smartly in Dylanโs voice, Spangler artfully represents both main characters: the boy who feels like a freak and the witty, imperfect, wise trans girl he loves. Very lightly borrowing on the classic fairy tale, she allows them to fail and succeed without resorting to paper villains or violent plot points to manipulate compassion. A believable and beautiful human story.โ โKirkus Reviews, Starred review
"Spanglerโs captivating portrayals of Dylan and Jamie offer piercing insight into the long, painful battle to shatter stereotypes in order to win dignity, love, and acceptance.โ โPublishers Weekly, Starred review