A MILLION QUIET REVOLUTIONS

In their last year of high school, trans boys Oliver and Aaron are separated when Aaron’s family moves, but they keep their relationship alive through texting and letters.

Oliver, who is White and Jewish, is fascinated by American history, particularly wondering about the stories of non-White, non-Christian, noncisgender men. Aaron, an artist, is Puerto Rican and one of the only brown faces in their high school. They have grown up together, discovered their genders together, and soon they will graduate together. Oliver discovers a story about two trans male soldiers who were in love during the Revolutionary War, and the boys decide to take on their names. But when Aaron’s cisgender older brother discloses abuse at the hands of the priest of their church, the family decides to leave Kutztown, Pennsylvania, for Queens, New York. The move is hard on the boys’ relationship, but at the same time, it may open a new world for Aaron. The book is a quick read, written in breathless verse. There is no strong central plot but rather a series of reflections on history, relationships, and gender loosely structured around Oliver and Aaron’s correspondence and the ultimate question of whether they will still want to be together when they meet again at the end of the school year.

A sweet and highly earnest transgender love story.