Explorations of identity, faith, friendship, family, and competition give every character a chance to grow and to shine. This teen rom-com set amid high school halls and soccer fields was a delight from start to finish. On The Passing Playbook, he said, “Isaac Fitzsimons has scored a goal for Trans Boy Joy.

and works for an arts advocacy nonprofit in the city.īrein Lopez of Children’s Book World in Los Angeles, California served as the chair for this season’s kids’ booksellers panel. When a discriminatory law forces Spencer’s soccer coach to bench him, Spencer has to make a choice: stay on the side lines or publicly fight for his right to play, which would mean coming out as transgender to everyone-including the guy he’s falling for.įitzimons grew up in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., but spent his summers in England and France where he became an avid soccer fan. The problem is, no one at Oakley knows Spencer is trans-he’s passing.īut when a discriminatory law forces Spencer’s coach to bench him, Spencer has to make a choice: cheer his team on from the sidelines or publicly fight for his right to play, even though it would mean coming out to everyone-including the guy he’s falling for.Isaac Fitzsimons is the debut author of The Passing Playbook (Dial Books), a Summer/Fall 2021 Indies Introduce young adult selection.

After transitioning at his old school leads to a year of isolation and bullying, Spencer gets a fresh start at Oakley, the most liberal private school in Ohio.Īt Oakley, Spencer seems to have it all: more accepting classmates, a decent shot at a starting position on the boys’ soccer team, great new friends, and maybe even something more than friendship with one of his teammates. I loved every minute I spent in this story, and I’ve never rooted harder for a jock in my life.” – New York Times bestselling author Becky Albertalliįifteen-year-old Spencer Harris is a proud nerd, an awesome big brother, and a David Beckham in training. “A sharply observant and vividly drawn debut. Love, Simon meets Bend It Like Beckham in this feel-good contemporary romance about a trans athlete who must decide between fighting for his right to play and staying stealth.

The passing playbook isaac fitzsimons