Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher

Sage was perfect—she was everything Logan ever wanted in a girlfriend.  But when Logan finds out the secret she’s been keeping from him he realizes that she’s not perfect, but she’s Almost Perfect.

When Logan’s girlfriend cheats on him Senior year, he thinks he’ll never get over the heartbreak.  Then one day he meets Sage, the new girl in town, who is unlike anyone he’s ever known.  Smart, confident, funny, and beautiful, Sage helps Logan move on from his ex and enjoy life again.  As they grow closer, Logan begins to challenge Sage’s “just friends” rule until one night they finally kiss and Sage reveals the secret she’s been keeping from him: she’s a girl trapped in a boy’s body.  Enraged and disgusted, Logan lashes out at Sage, but over time he begins to realize that she’s still his best friend and the girl that he’s grown to love.  As Sage struggles to find her place in the world and with Logan, Logan struggles to understand his feelings for Sage and to accept her for being Almost Perfect.

Set in small town America, this story provides a closer look at what it’s like living as a transgender person in today’s society and the impact on families and friends.  It also explores the societal norms and prejudices that can make it a difficult, even dangerous place for transgender people to live.  Almost Perfect is a powerful, moving story about acceptance, love, and having the courage to be exactly who you are.  Due to some sexual content and violence, this book is recommended for older young adults in a public or school library setting.

Awards

2010 ALA's Best Book for Young Adults
2011 Stonewall Children's and Young Adult Literature Award

Learn More

Find out more about Brian Katcher, Almost Perfect, and his other books on his website, or friend him on Facebook.  You can also read an interview with Brian Katcher to find out what got him started writing, his inspiration for Almost Perfect, and other projects he's working on.

Katcher is also the author of the award-winning book, Playing With Matches.  Watch a book trailer for Playing With Matches below:

To learn more about what it's like growing up as a transgender child, watch the Dateline interview below where Josie and her parents tell their story:

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Watch Part 2 and Part 3 of the video.



Katcher, Brian. Almost Perfect. New York: Delacorte Press, 2009. Print.
9780385736657; Paperback; $9.00; 360 pages

Also available in hardback, ebook, and audiobook formats.