Part memoir, part guidebook,; follow this grandmother as she works to accept that her grandchild identifies as a girl.

4* An informative, 'regular human with fallibilities' book about how to offer support and be an ally to the gender-questioning or gender-expansive child.

I loved that this book is not an academic's book full of stuff that would have gone over my head and would have turned me off reading. Instead, it's written on a very Average Jane/Joe level, with simple language and with a lot of love and a desire to be a protector for the author's MtF transgender grandchild. I don't have anyone transgender who's in need of my support in quite this way, but I do have two transgender friends, one of whom transitioned from male to female and lived as a female for 5yrs, before transitioning back for medical and social reasons. I have supported this friend throughout his detransition, but would have liked to have read this book before, because it did make me see areas where perhaps I put my feelings of loss over my friend's.

It does have examples quoted of research, but mainly, it's written with heart and common sense, from the author's own interviews and perspective, and it was heartwarming to see and read about how Ruby's feelings and choice were not only accepted, but encouraged and embraced by her parents, her sister and grandmother. To me, this didn't seem anything out of the ordinary, because if you love someone, you love them as they come, whatever kind of whatever package they come in (sorry for the poor English, but I tried my best). Unfortunately, though, I do think that some parents and families might fear social reaction and their own inability to cope and support their child and end up doing more bad than good, so I'd recommend this as a read.

Ruby wasn't the only example of a loved, encouraged and accepted transgender child, which I loved. That so many of the parents seemed to embrace and wholly support their kids, was affirming.

ARC courtesy of Jessica Kingsley Publishers and NetGalley, for my reading pleasure.