Somebody Told Me — Content Guide for Parents
Themes present
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Content themes
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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
"A compelling narrative layered with intersections of gender, sexuality, and spirituality."— Booklist
After an assault, bigender seventeen-year-old Aleks/Alexis is looking for a fresh start—so they voluntarily move in with their uncle, a Catholic priest. In their new bedroom, Aleks/Alexis discovers they can overhear parishioners in the church confessional. Moved by the struggles of these "sinners," Aleks/Alexis decides to anonymously help them, finding solace in their secret identity: a guardian angel instead of a victim.
But then Aleks/Alexis overhears a confession of another priest admitting to sexually abusing a parishioner. As they try to uncover the priest's identity before he hurts anyone again, Aleks/Alexis is also forced to confront their own abuser and come to terms with their past trauma.
Frequently asked questions
Is Somebody Told Me appropriate for a 7-year-old?
The narrative includes themes of sexual assault, child sexual abuse, and mentions of murder and attempted murder. These elements are significant to the character's development and the overall plot. No elements of scary content were detected in the search results.
Does Somebody Told Me have violence?
The narrative includes themes of sexual assault, child sexual abuse, and mentions of murder and attempted murder. These elements are significant to the character's development and the overall plot.
Does Somebody Told Me have scary content?
No elements of scary content were detected in the search results.
Does Somebody Told Me have religious themes?
The book critiques the Catholic Church and discusses the abuse of religious power without villainizing religion itself. It features an agnostic bigender teen living with their Catholic relatives.
Does Somebody Told Me have racial/cultural content?
The narrative includes a subplot involving Mateo, whose family faces immigration issues, highlighting themes of fear and systemic challenges faced by immigrant families.
Does Somebody Told Me have profanity?
The book contains crude language and intrusive thoughts that are presented in a bold manner, which some readers found melodramatic and hard to take seriously.
Does Somebody Told Me have climate change?
No climate-related themes were detected in the search results.
Does Somebody Told Me have sexual identity?
The book addresses sexual assault and includes discussions about grooming and conversion therapy, which are central to the protagonist's experiences and growth.
Does Somebody Told Me have gender roles?
The book features authentic bigender representation and explores the protagonist's relationship with gender and identity, reflecting modern feminist themes of self-discovery and acceptance.
Does Somebody Told Me have lgbtq+ themes?
The book features a bigender protagonist, Aleks/Alexis, and includes discussions on LGBTQ+ themes such as homophobia, transphobia, and internalized struggles with identity. The narrative includes positive representations of diverse LGBTQ+ identities.
