I Am J: A Novel

Cris Beam

Mar 2011 · Hachette+ORM

About this ebook

A powerful and inspiring story about a transgender teen's struggle to find his own path -- and love his true self.

J had always felt different. He was certain that eventually everyone would understand who he really was: a boy mistakenly born as a girl. Yet as he grew up, his body began to betray him; eventually J stopped praying to wake up a "real boy" and started covering up his body, keeping himself invisible -- from his parents, from his friends, from the world. But after being deserted by the best friend he thought would always be by his side, J decides that he's done hiding. It's time to be who he really is. And this time he is determined not to give up, no matter the cost.

Ratings and reviews

I picked this book for a class project and was glad I did(: It was entertaining and kept me wanting more and more!! It made me laugh and cry...and for a moment, quite frustrated lol overall a great book-just read it 😜

Was very good book that helped me though a very hard time

Really hits close to home, amazing

About the author

Cris Beam is the author of Transparent, a Stonewall Honor Book and Lambda Literary Award winner.She has an MFA in writing from Columbia University and teaches creative writing at Columbia, New York University, and The New School. I Am J is her debut novel. While living in LA, Cris volunteered at Eagles, a high school for gay and transgender kids. During the 2.5 years Cris taught there, she became deeply involved with a complex but marginalized tribe of transgender teens who had nowhere to go but the streets, one of whom became her foster daughter.