Happy Release Day!
Congrats Julie
on the release today of
North of Tomboy!
North of Tomboy by Julie A. Swanson
Middle Grade, Queer, Fiction, 376 pages
Published September 2, 2025, by SparkPress
For fans of Kacen Callender, Lin Thompson, and Kyle Lukoff, comes a middle grade novel set in 1973 about a child who feels more boy than girl and is frustrated that people act blind to that when—aside for her stupid hair and clothes—it should be obvious!
Shy fourth grader Jess Jezowski turns the tables on her mom when she’s given yet another girly baby doll for Christmas. This time, instead of ignoring or destroying it, she transforms it into the boy she’s always wanted to be—a brave, funny little guy named Mickey. Making him talk, Jess finally lets the boy in her express himself.
But when Mickey evolves to become something more like an alter ego whose voice drowns out her own and the secret of him escapes the safety of her family, Jess realizes Mickey’s too limited and doesn’t allow the boy part of her a big enough presence in the world. She must find a way to blend him into her—so she can be that side of herself anywhere, around anyone.
Jess tries to wean herself from the crutch of Mickey’s loud, comical persona, and to get her family to forget about him, but she struggles to do both. What will it take for her to stop hiding behind Mickey and get people to see her for who she truly is? Based on the author’s experience growing up on Michigan’s rural Leelanau Peninsula in the ’70s, North of Tomboy includes artwork throughout.
Praise for North of Tomboy
". . . a powerful, tender portrait of early gender exploration and self-acceptance, interwoven with charming illustrations."—Readers' Favorite, 5-star review
"North of Tomboy is an engaging novel that reveals the inner world of a creative child who explores and learns to express her nonconforming gender identity."—Foreword Reviews
"An adolescent's struggle with identity makes for a smart, fascinating read."—Kirkus Reviews
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About the author
Julie Swanson grew up on Michigan's "Little Finger", the Leelanau Peninsula, where many of her stories are set, but has lived in Wisconsin, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire, California, and Virginia.
For the past twenty-five years she's lived in Charlottesville, VA. Julie writes middle grade and young adult novels and enjoys sports, the outdoors, "making things" (almost any type of art or craft, woodworking), reading, writing, eating, planting trees, and spending time with family. She suddenly has 6 grandchildren! Good thing she loves kids. ~ Goodreads
Connect with Julie
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