Too Bright To See by Kyle Lukoff

I picked up this book because of all of the shiny stickers on the cover!  I mean- wow!  Too Bright to See has earned a lot of praise- the Stonewall Book Award, National Book Award Finalist, and it is a Newbery Honor book. In our library, it sits in the Mystery section. This book is definitely mysterious, but it is also sad, intriguing, beautiful and hard.  The main character, Bug, is grieving the loss of her beloved uncle.  She and her mom have lived with him in an old, haunted house out in the country.  Uncle Roderick taught Bug about ghosts, but she never imagined he would become one.  

While this books is about grieving the loss of a loved one, it is even more so about identity and self-discovery. Bug is about to begin middle school. As your read Bug's internal thoughts and learn more about her, you can't help but feel a little confused. She seems discontent, not just about the absence of her uncle, but about herself.  Spoiler: you eventually figure out that Bug doesn't feel like a girl. Bug feels more content and at peace as a boy.  

This is my first book to read where the protagonist is transgender.  It was interesting to learn about some of the possible thoughts and feelings that someone may experience in this kind of life journey.  In the author's notes, you find out that Kyle Lukoff was born a girl, but transitioned to the male gender as a teenager. So I think he writes Bug's character from a relatable and realistic perspective. 

I don't love sad books, and I don't love scary books. This book was a little bit of both. But this book is a perfect example of why READING IS SO IMPORTANT! Through this fictional, middle-grade story, I was able to learn and develop more compassion and empathy for those whose stories are like Bug's.  And I am grateful for that.