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Symptoms of Being Human
Author(s): Jeff Garvin

Starred reviews from Publishers Weeklyand Booklist *YALSA Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers * ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults List *2017 Rainbow List

A sharply honest and moving debut perfect for fans of The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Ask the Passengers.

Riley Cavanaugh is many things: Punk rock. Snarky. Rebellious. And gender fluid. Some days Riley identifies as a boy, and others as a girl. But Riley isn’t exactly out yet. And between starting a new school and having a congressman father running for reelection in ber-conservative Orange County, the pressuremedia and otherwiseis building up in Riley’s life.

On the advice of a therapist, Riley starts an anonymous blog to vent those pent-up feelings and tell the truth of what it’s really like to be a gender fluid teenager. But just as Riley’s starting to settle in at schooleven developing feelings for a mysterious outcastthe blog goes viral, and an unnamed commenter discovers Riley’s real identity, threatening exposure. And Riley must make a choice: walk away from what the blog has createda lifeline, new friends, a cause to believe inor stand up, come out, and risk everything.

From debut author Jeff Garvin comes a powerful and uplifting portrait of a modern teen struggling with high school, relationships, and what it means to be human.

Review(s):
Riley is a smart, funny, sharp-eyed force
One of the first YA books to deal with the complex issue of gender fluidityRileys emotional life and personal growth shed welcome light on a hitherto obscure subject.
Vibrantly imagineda welcome mirror for gender-fluid teens.
With a main character who truly deserves to be called unique, combined with heartbreak and triumphs that are universal, this unforgettable book made me laugh, and also cry: Garvins powerful new voice rocks!
Riley Cavanaugh is a sharp, funny, powerful voice for those who havent quite found theirs yet. Both highly entertaining and highly necessary, Symptoms is the kind of book that makes you a better human for having read it. I loved it.
A moving portrayal of what it means to be different, yet the same, all at once. Jeff Garvin has written a beautifully thoughtful book.
An important introduction for readers who know little about gender fluidity and a welcome nod to those who may be experiencing similar feelings.

ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults

ISBN:9780062382870