UGLIEST

In Vincent’s YA novel, an agender teenager’s spring semester becomes busier than expected when a BookTok video goes viral.

Seventeen-year-old Nic Summers is ready for the fresh start that the new spring semester at their boarding school, the Oklahoma Academy of Mathematics and Science, promises to bring. Last semester, they faced bullying from the religious Rachel––the ex-best-friend of Nic’s crush, Mack––and from a resident assistant who was hostile toward Nic’s gender expression. This year, OAMS has assigned Nic their own room, with trans boy Mack right next door. Nic was also selected for mentoring sessions with a prominent artist this semester, as was their classmate, Lily. One of Nic’s friends, Jenna, suggests that they turn their unofficial book club into a TikTok series in which they review banned books. Despite Nic’s dislike of being on camera, they agree to speak in the videos; in the first, they discuss Maia Kobabe’s graphic memoir, Gender Queer (2019). Nic’s conviction to stand for what’s right is put to the test when a viral video takes off and OAMS’s Board of Trustees suddenly decrees that Nic and Mack must move to the girls’ side of the dorms. Will Nic be able to weather these new challenges, or will they return to their shy and quiet ways? In this timely novel with a diverse cast, Vincent taps into issues that will be relevant to many teens, including book banning, Florida’s infamous “Don't Say Gay” bill, increasing restrictions around gender affirming care, and other legislation that explicitly targets LGBTQ+ people. The author doesn’t shy away from how depressing the current state of American politics can be, or from the scary realities that trans teens live with in red states, as Nic does. This is the third book in a trilogy, but it ably manages to stand on its own with subtle references to past events, including previous character development. Overall, this is a powerful and educational read that will have readers rooting for Nic and inspire them to enact change.

A hopeful and empowering novel of teen activism.