Changers Book One: Drew

The husband-and-wife team of Cooper (Real Man Adventures) and Glock-Cooper (Beauty Before Comfort) makes its YA debut with a thought-provoking exploration of identity, gender, and sexuality, first in a four-book series. Ethan Miller’s freshman year starts with a major surprise when he wakes up as a girl, and is promptly informed by his parents that he’s a Changer, part of a race that spends four years living in different bodies before settling on a permanent one. As “Drew Bohner,” Ethan must navigate high school from a female perspective, for good and bad. Drew makes new friends and enemies, joins the cheerleading squad, and learns more about the Changers and their cultlike methodology, but as Drew tries to adapt to her new life, she’s always aware that more changes are yet to come, which could spell doom for any chances at friendship or romance. While numerous questions remain to be answered, and the premise is a little convoluted, Drew’s story unfolds with sympathy and complexity. An excellent read for any teens questioning their sense of self or gender. Ages 12–up. (Feb.)