A quiet graphic memoir illuminates the author’s ongoing gender identity exploration, and their efforts to feel at home in their body, with care and openness. Written in a direct, conversational tone, Theo begins by introducing themself and their experience of being transgender and nonbinary. Choosing to follow “the scenic route” on their gender “journey,” Theo takes their time, enjoys the process, and remains open to change. The main narrative begins in their childhood, describing a loving family life that allowed them to be “free and content to just be.” Outside the home, though, gender-related assumptions and expectations chafed. It wasn’t until college, in community with other art students, that Theo felt free to make physical changes like a haircut and new wardrobe. Despite knowing they weren’t a girl, “boy” didn’t feel right either; it wasn’t until they learned of nonbinary identities that things began to click into place. Shedding their birth name and choosing the name “Theo” seemed to break an invisible boundary, leading to greater contentment and closer relationships. While the narrative ends in Theo’s young adulthood, they acknowledge that the journey is ongoing, and while they are “grateful” for the body they have, they still “dream of … the day [they] will call this house … home.” A soft purple palette, uncluttered illustration style, and concise text make this explicitly affirming memoir an accessible, inviting read.

YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award Finalist

In their comics debut, Theo Parish masterfully weaves an intimate and defiantly hopeful memoir about the journey one nonbinary person takes to find a home within themself. Combining traditional comics with organic journal-like interludes, Theo takes us through their experiences with the hundred arbitrary and unspoken gender binary rules of high school, from harrowing haircuts and finally the right haircut to the intersection of gender identity and sexuality--and through tiny everyday moments that all led up to Theo finding the term "nonbinary," which finally struck a chord.

"Have you ever had one of those moments when all of a sudden things become clear...like someone just turned on a light?"

A whole spectrum of people will be drawn to Theo's storytelling, from trans or questioning teens and adults, to folks who devoured Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe or The Fire Never Goes Out by ND Stevenson, to any person looking to dive a little deeper into the way gender can shape identity. Throughout the book, Theo's crystal-clear voice reminds the reader that it's okay not to know, it's okay to change your mind, and it's okay to take your time finding your way home.

"We are all just trying to find a place to call our own. We are all deserving of comfort and safety, a place to call home."