Sasha Masha
By:
In this #OwnVoices LGBTQ young adult debut, Alex comes to realize his true identity as a young woman named Sasha Masha.
Alex feels like he is in the wrong body. His skin feels strange against his bones. And then comes Tracy, who thinks he's adorably awkward, who wants to kiss him, who makes him feel like a Real Boy. But it is not quite enough. Something is missing. Is the missing piece a part of Alex himself?
As Alex grapples with his identity, he finds himself trying on dresses and swiping on lipstick in the quiet of his bedroom. He meets Andre, a gay boy who is beautiful and unafraid to be who he is. Slowly, Alex begins to realize: Maybe his name isn't Alex at all. Maybe it's Sasha Masha.
Transgender author Agnes Borinksy deftly explores gender identity and queer romance in this heart-wrenchingly honest debut novel.
Appendix.
ISBN: 9780374310806
JLG Release: Feb 2021
Sensitive Areas:
Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco: Reference or Discussion Language: Strong Language Sexual Content: Mild Sexual Content/Themes Language: Homophobic Slur Discrimination: Gender Identity
Topics:
Transgender people
, Gender identity
, Dating (Social customs)
, Family life
, Baltimore, Maryland
, LGBTQ
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Praise & Reviews
Starred or favorable reviews have been received from these periodicals:
Horn Book
Before Sasha Masha, there was Alex; a soon-to-be-junior struggling to make sense of who he is and where he belongs. The only person who seems to understand him is his best friend, Mabel. She was there the day Alex put on the green velvet dress and became Sasha Masha, the elegant and unafraid. When Mabel moves away, Alex worries he’ll return to sc Before Sasha Masha, there was Alex; a soon-to-be-junior struggling to make sense of who he is and where he belongs. The only person who seems to understand him is his best friend, Mabel. She was there the day Alex put on the green velvet dress and became Sasha Masha, the elegant and unafraid. When Mabel moves away, Alex worries he’ll return to school more misunderstood than ever. But this year holds many surprises for Alex, some of which he accepts reluctantly (such as his first girlfriend) and others he leans into with an excitement and openness he never expected. It doesn’t take long for Alex to realize something doesn’t feel right in his new relationship, and soon his confusion brings him to a queer teen group where he meets the gender-bending, ever-confident Andre. Andre introduces Alex to the world he’s been looking for; a world full of drag, dancing, and the freedom to be yourself. Borinsky walks the reader slowly and thoughtfully through Alex’s transformation without rushing past the uncomfortable and often painful parts of his journey. The tone of the book shifts alongside Alex, moving from quiet and morose with his discomfort to one of excitement and hopefulness as Sasha Masha is further revealed. The book’s conclusion is satisfying in its open-endedness, leaving both protagonist and reader with a great curiosity and optimism for what comes next. HILL SAXTON
Book Details
ISBN
9780374310806
First Release
February 2021
Genre
Fic
Dewey Classification
F
Trim Size
8 3/10" x 5 2/5"
Page Count
240
Accelerated Reader
N/AScholastic Reading Counts
N/ALexile
N/AFormat
Print Book
Edition
Hardcover edition
Publisher
Farrar, Straus & Giroux
Potentially Sensitive Areas
Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco: Reference or Discussion Language: Strong Language Sexual Content: Mild Sexual Content/Themes Language: Homophobic Slur Discrimination: Gender Identity
Topics
Transgender people, Gender identity, Dating (Social customs), Family life, Baltimore, Maryland, LGBTQ,
