Beast

Starred review from August 15, 2016
Picture book creator Spangler (Peg Leg Peke) turns to an older audience with a thought-provoking novel about two shunned teens who struggle to make sense of the world and themselves. At nearly six foot four and covered with hair, 15-year-old Dylan Ingvarsson has been nicknamed the Beast, but he doesn’t feel like one. Mostly, he leads a quiet life, earning top grades in his class and supporting his widowed mother. When Dylan breaks his leg falling off a roof, perhaps not entirely accidentally, and ends up in therapy for self-harmers, he meets an intriguing girl named Jamie, a talented photographer, who seems to like Dylan for who he is. For the first time, Dylan finds himself falling in love, but then he learns something he missed while he was zoning out in therapy: Jamie is trans. Sharply drawn relationships and true-to-life dialogue make Dylan’s interactions with Jamie, his mother, and his friends feel breathtakingly real. Spangler’s 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. Ages 12–up. Agent: Mackenzie Brady, New Leaf Literary & Media.

Dylan is a white 15-year-old who's 6-foot-4 and covered in hair. His nickname is Beast, and the only reason he's not completely overwhelmed by rejection in high school is because of JP, his popular, rich, attractive childhood best friend. It's Dylan's dream to be a Rhodes scholar, and he's got the grades for it, but the world assumes he's a big, dumb football player. After a rough day at school, he falls off of a roof and breaks his leg. He's assigned to therapy for self-harmers, where he meets Jamie, taking note of her long legs, curly brown hair, creamy skin, and tendency to call him out. Through texts and sneaky outings, they gradually fall for each other. JP gets weird on meeting Jamie, which makes her think he's not OK with her being transgender. Dylan ices over, shocked--she'd revealed that fact on the first day of group therapy, but he hadn't been paying attention. Humiliated and angry, she runs. After some bad starts and interventions, they try to be friends again, honestly and openly. Writing smartly in Dylan's 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. (Fiction. 12 & up) COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 1, 2016

Gr 9 Up-A coming-of-age tale where the main character's physical growth unfortunately outpaces his emotional development. Fifteen-year-old Dylan is incredibly self-conscious about his size (6'4" and still growing), his hairiness (he's had to shave since sixth grade), his ugly face (which he hides with his long hair and hat), and his unflattering nicknames (Beast, Sasquatch, Caveman). On the day his school bans long hair and hats, he happens to fall off his roof and break his leg. This lands him in group therapy for self-harmers, and at the one therapy session he attends, he meets love interest Jamie. Dylan isn't listening when Jamie reveals that she is transgender, and the relationship predictably suffers because of this miscommunication. Despite this, the romance between Dylan and Jamie is this book's best aspect. At first, Jamie seems to embody the manic pixie dream girl trope, but she does evolve into a fully realized character. There is some transphobia exhibited by Dylan and by tertiary characters, but this is the area where Dylan shows the most character development, while not becoming magically perfect in all of his reactions. However, Dylan's self-esteem issues are increasingly ignored as the romance blossoms, violent tendencies and self-harming behaviors are glossed over, and a major breach of trust between Dylan and his mother is treated as a mere plot point instead of having genuine emotional consequences. VERDICT An ambitious YA romance that doesn't reach its full potential but that may find fans among realistic fiction readers.-Kacy Helwick, New Orleans Public Library

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2016
Grades 10-1 Dylan, 6'4 and also known as the Beast, is a brilliant teenager who spends as much time fantasizing about winning a Rhodes Scholarship as he thinks about girls. At school, he towers over his sophomore classmates but, thanks to popular best friend JP, is safe from ridicule. But Dylan has an inner world where he feels trapped in a body too big and hairy, one that won't quit growing. A broken leg exposes his need to change his looks and sends him to group therapy for self-harmers, where he meets the smart, confident Jaime. Their passion flourishes except for one misconception: Jaime reveals that she is a trans teen, but Dylan misses it. Spangler uses the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast as a framework for the story but develops more complex portraits for a modern spin. Jaime is independent and complex as she battles with her feelings after Dylan acts horribly, and the reader is rewarded with Dylan's sincere transformation, as he prepares to follow his heart toward Jaime, if she can only forgive him.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)