The Beautiful Something Else

Twelve-year-old Sparrow Malone moves often with their substance-reliant mother, whose “anxious perfectionism and... messy personal life go together like Cheetos and milk.” To make excellent impressions and telegraph a healthy parent-child relationship wherever they go, Sparrow follows the same rules, alternating between “supportive Mom-Sparrow and shape-shifting school-Sparrow” even as they clash with their mom over clothing choices. When Sparrow’s mom overdoses and gets into a car accident, she’s sent to rehab while Sparrow stays nearby with estranged relatives—including Sparrow’s transgender aunt Mags, whose identity Sparrow initially mistakes due to their mom’s deadnaming and misgendering of her sister—on the grounds of the rambling inherited mansion that Mags has transformed into an inclusive communal refuge. Sparrow’s life changes dramatically in the weeks that follow, as they more thoroughly explore their gender identity and encounter a strange animate shadow. Through the protagonist’s contemplative first-person observations and interstitial essays, Van Otterloo (A Touch of Ruckus) creates a character-driven novel that touches on navigating generational trauma, personal growth, and queer identity in circumstances both dire and abundantly safe. Sparrow and their family are white; secondary characters are intersectionally diverse. Reader resources conclude. Ages 8–12. Agent: Lauren Spieller, Triada US. (May)