You Don’t See Me

Seventeen-year-old Ros Hughes finds it difficult to express themself, especially about their identity as a transgender boy, something they’ve never told anyone about. When they strike up a relationship with charismatic, poetic lesbian Eddy, the older sister of a classmate, Ros becomes even more self-conscious, worrying that revealing their true self will ruin everything. Concealing their gender from Eddy and blending in at their Dublin school become increasingly difficult as they navigate anxiety, dysphoria, and self-harming behaviors. And though their romance with Eddy is often rewarding, they also find themself drawn to countercultural Paddy. Despite their relationships growing more and more complicated, they’re able to mitigate mounting stress by slowly opening up to others for the first time. A meandering plot and underdeveloped supporting characters occasionally undercut the emotional impact of the protagonist’s experiences. Still, via Ros’s dry, honest narration and gradual self-actualization—helped along by a sympathetic religious education teacher—Ricketts (Food Needs Labeling, People Don’t) crafts an unflinching yet hopeful portrayal of experiences of gender dysphoria and coming out. The cast cues as white. Ages 14–up. (Mar.)