Ana on the Edge

I keep repeating myself but there's truly nothing more validating than seeing yourself in a middlegrade novel. I will never not find this so special. It will never not leave me as an emotional mess.<br /><br />I've been looking forward to this book for so long and it was exactly what I hoped for. I really saw myself in the way Ana experiences social dysphoria, I felt the portrayal of it in my bones, and I cried multiple times toward the ending. I hope this book will be all this and more for non-binary kids.

That was an excellent middle-grade/intermediate LBGTQIA+ novel. It never felt 'educational' as Ana explored her gender identity. When she learned about gender identity and what this might mean for her it felt natural and gentle, but also incredibly meaningful. The family and friendship connections were done well and I really enjoyed the figure skating descriptions as well. I thoroughly recommend adding this to middle grade/intermediate libraries.

<b>4.5 Stars</b><br /><br /><b> <u>CWs:</u> </b> Misgendering, misnaming, allusions to transphobia and bullying, and contains multiple coming out scenes<br /><br /><b> <u>Rep:</u> </b> Ana is non-binary, Chinese-American (with possibly some Hawaiian heritage as well), and Jewish<br /><br />I'm so glad this book exists. It's overwhelming to think about how this story is going to affirm so many things for so many young readers, in ways we can't even imagine.<br /><br />(First of all, Ana is trying out multiple pronouns by the end of this story, she/her being some of them, and those are what I'll be using to refer to her in this review.)<br /><br />This is a masterfully told story of self-discovery on and off the ice. Ana's questioning of her gender is shown so organically, whether it be the mental double-take she does when her mom full-names her, or the way she hates wearing skirts during practice, or how she's intimidated by other skaters' ease in showcasing their femininity. She doesn't have the vocabulary to describe it, she doesn't know about labels or inclusive terminology, she doesn't know where to begin questioning it, but she knows enough to know that femininity doesn't quite fit.<br /><br />There's also a nuanced distinction about how Ana doesn't "hate" femininity, she just doesn't claim femininity for <i>herself</i>. It doesn't mean "girly" things are bad or that they're not a part of her in some ways, it just means they don't <i>define</i> her. Ana is realizing that, yes, there are boys who like to sew and craft just like there are girls who love sports and video games. So why do we all put so much stock in "boy things" versus "girl things" when there are literally no rules?<br /><br />These questions occur naturally in the story, which makes sense for a character so strongly questioning their gender. When Ana meets Hayden and realizes that it's possible for people to change their names and pronouns, she become fascinated by the implications of that and begins making space for herself to experiment with different expressions. When she realizes that her body and her personhood doesn't tell the story she always thought it would, that's huge for her.<br /><br />Another aspect I love about the story is how it parallels skating performance against gender performance. There's this idea that when you get on the ice, you're "portraying a character," and then the more you lean into that role, the higher points you receive. And that's exactly how gender works as well. So Ana is wondering if she can disassociate from her performance in that way, but also questioning where to draw the line between acting and expressing, both on and off the ice.<br /><br />My only note, if anything, is that I wish Ana got to take all those deeply internal thoughts about gender and put them into conversation <i>outside</i> of the coming out scenes. Most people, especially parents, have absolutely no knowledge of what non-binary even MEANS, which naturally leads to a lot of questions. (Keep in mind, I say this from my own experience.) But we don't really get to see that side of the conversation. Part of me is glad it's that way because I wouldn't want readers to conflate <i>Ana's</i> non-binary experience with "THE Non-Binary Experience" (whatever that is). But the other part of me sees it as ever so slightly idealistic.<br /><br />There's just so much to love about this story. It's incredibly rich and layered, and Ana's character progression is so well done. A.J. Sass does such a good job of building a safe, supportive environment for Ana to explore herself and express herself, and even though we don't get all the answers, we are given every reason to hope for her.<br /><br />Very eager for this one to come out in the fall and I highly recommend it for readers of all ages!

I would protect this Michelle Kwan-loving, Asian, enby bean with my life.

I was lucky enough to read an early copy of this book and all I'll say is DO NOT MISS IT. Not only is it an amazing book it also contains representation we desperately need to see in fiction. Keep your eyes peeled, Ana on the Edge will take the world by storm.

“You alone get to decide who you are.” Yes, indeed.<br /><br />XO

Trigger Warnings: Parental abandonment, transphobia, misgendering, past death of a relative, heteronormativity, coming out, past bullying, social dysphoria<br /><br />Representation: Chinese-American, Jewish, Gay, Vegetarian, Nonbinary<br /><br />Ana on the Edge is a middle grade contemporary about twelve-year-old Ana-Marie Jin, the reigning US Juvenile figure skating champion. Ana tries to focus on training and putting together a stellar routine worthy of national success, despite learning that next season's program will be princess themed.<br /><br />Once Ana meets Hayden, a transgender boy new to the rink, thoughts about the princess program and gender identity begin to take center stage. And when Hayden mistakes Ana for a boy, Ana doesn't correct him and finds comfort in this boyish identity when he's around. As their friendship develops, Ana realizes that it's tricky juggling two different identities on one slippery sheet of ice. And with a major competition approaching, Ana must decide whether telling everyone the truth is worth risking years of hard work and sacrifice.<br /><br />This was a great read! I honestly didn’t even mind that it was a middle grade read. I loved the simplicity of the storyline which beautifully juxtaposed the complexity of searching for one’s identity. I loved how the author used this book to educate the audience without feeling like we were being lectured. The book is a quick and easy read, with lovely characters and great examples of friendship! This is a great book for any youth looking to better understand their gender.<br />

<i>Ana on the Edge</i> is a really sweet Middle Grade book about a twelve-year-old figure skater figuring out that she’s nonbinary. I thought that having the story set against the very binary world of figure skating made for a lot of interesting parallels. <br /><br />In addition to the commentary about gender it also allowed for showing the pressure of being a young elite athlete. Ana has to move to a new rink, meaning she has less time to spend with her best friend, and is realizing just how much money the sport is costing her single mother. When a new choreographer gives Ana a very feminine routine, she starts to understand how uncomfortable it makes her when people see her as a girl. That on top of meeting a trans boy helps Ana to realize that she’s nonbinary. While she does start to come out to people, she’s still not sure what pronouns she wants people to use for her and tells them that “she” is okay for the time being. I thought that was a nice thing to show in a Middle Grade book, you don’t have to have everything figured out right away. It’s okay to take time to understand what feels right for you. <br /><br />I felt like the book was a little bit longer than necessary. There were some scenes, especially when it came to the skating, that felt repetitive. But other than that I thought that this was a great Middle Grade story about gender identity, friendship, family, and sports. <br />

I loved this book so much, I think this is such a good introduction for young readers to what being nonbinary can look like! I definitely related a lot to the character, and I enjoy watching figure skating a lot, so it was great to have a look at "behind the scenes". I'm going to use she/her for Ana in this review, as she tells most of her friends and family to continue to use those.<br /><br />Ana is a 12 year old figure skater, national juvenile champion from modest background: her single mother is working long hours and teaching Mandarin in her free time, so they can afford Ana's expensive training and other expenses that come with the sport. One such unexpected expense is a choreography for Ana's free skate - as she progressed to a different category, she's now expected to perform two programmes. Unfortunately the choreographer doesn't consult the students about their likes, and so Ana ends up with a princess Aurora programme, where she even has to skate in a frilly costume - she's been performing exclusively in leggings for years.<br /><br />Then Ana also meets Hayden, a trans boy who's new to the city and the rink. Due to a misunderstanding, Hayden believes Ana to be a boy, and Ana doesn't correct him because after the "princess stuff", she enjoys someone not automatically assuming that she's a girl.<br /><br />I thought Ana's struggles were realistically depicted, and I really commend the author for not dumbing down the book. I think this is perfect for young and adult readers too; it addresses so many issues while still being positive and encouraging. The author's note at the end confirms it, but you can really tell he's a pro skater haha. I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed it!<br /><br /><br />Rep: nonbinary Chinese-American Jewish main character, trans side character, poc side characters, gay side character

I love that there's a middle grade book with a nonbinary lead, but I just did not care about the plot, the characters, or the skating aspect, and think it was a bit too long. I think kids in the age group will probably like it more than I did though!