Opting Out — Content Guide for Parents
Themes present
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Content themes
Factual summary of themes present in this book. No opinion — just the facts.
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Religious themes
PRESENTContains references to prayer and church attendance. A minister character plays a supporting role in two chapters.
About this book
From the award-winning author/illustrator of GENDER QUEER and a bright new talent, the story of a kid named Saachi, who is navigating friendship woes, sister issues, a new crush, and a resistance to blue-and-pink binaries.
Bodies are the worst. I wish I didn't have a body.
Saachi is a storyteller. At school, she's surrounded by kids she's known forever -- including her best friend, Lyla, who shares Saachi's love of fantasy novels and creating new worlds.
But as seventh grade starts, kids are changing. Suddenly, it matters who you like and if you can find a boyfriend or girlfriend. Even Lyla seems more interested in hanging out with her new boyfriend than in writing and drawing with Saachi anymore. Saachi's not interested in any of that boy/girl stuff. Why can't things just stay the way they were?
Saachi also doesn't love all the ways her body is changing. What if she doesn't feel like a girl -- or like a boy, either? In a world where there is so much either/or, Saachi is going to need to find her own options . . . and create her own story.
Frequently asked questions
Is Opting Out appropriate for a 7-year-old?
Contains illustrations of hormone therapy medication injection and depictions of adults with alcohol, which may be interpreted as mild violence related to substance use. However, no graphic violence is reported. No scary content detected in the book's narrative based on the search results.
Does Opting Out have violence?
Contains illustrations of hormone therapy medication injection and depictions of adults with alcohol, which may be interpreted as mild violence related to substance use. However, no graphic violence is reported.
Does Opting Out have scary content?
No scary content detected in the book's narrative based on the search results.
Does Opting Out have religious themes?
No religious content detected in the book's narrative based on the search results.
Does Opting Out have racial/cultural content?
No race or racism themes detected in the book's narrative based on the search results.
Does Opting Out have profanity?
No profanity detected in the book's narrative based on the search results.
Does Opting Out have climate change?
No climate themes detected in the book's narrative based on the search results.
Does Opting Out have sexual identity?
The memoir discusses sexuality and gender identity, including asexuality and the author's exploration of sexual relationships, which are presented in a context of self-discovery and understanding rather than explicit content.
Does Opting Out have gender roles?
The narrative explores nonbinary identity and challenges traditional gender roles, presenting a modern feminist perspective on gender identity and expression.
Does Opting Out have lgbtq+ themes?
The book features Maia as a nonbinary, asexual character and includes positive representations of LGBTQ+ identities, including a lesbian relationship with a transgender person. The narrative normalizes nonbinary and queer identities.
