by Lorie Ann Grover
Where does a firstborn girl fit in a world dominated by men? When Tiadone was born, her parents had two choices: leave their daughter outside the community to die in the wilds, or raise her as male and force her to suppress all feminine traits. Now, as the first female living as male in her village, Tiadone must prove her father didn't make a mistake by letting her live. As her male initiation approaches, Tiadone knows every eye on the community is on her, and desperately wishes to belong and finally be accepted.
But at every step, traditional feminine gifts and traits emerge, and the bird she's been twined with is seen as a sign of the devil. Worse, as Tiadone completes her rites, she finds she is drawn to her male best friend in ways that are very much in line with the female gender. Confused and desperate, Tiadone tries to become what she must be while dealing with what she indeed has become: a young woman who may be able to stand up to her despotic rulers and uncover her real purpose in life.
"Starred Review. A fantasy that reads like a lost history tome and deftly examines issues of gender...An engrossing story with welcome depths." - Kirkus
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I was born and raised in Miami, Florida. I used to pretend to read before I could by carrying around Nancy Drew books and flipping through the pages. I studied ballet for ten years and was a member of the Miami Ballet Company. When I grew too tall for the profession, I turned my focus to fine art at the University of Miami. Eventually, my love for the written word yielded verse novels and board books with Simon & Schuster and Scholastic. My fantasy in prose is released from Zondervan's Blink. I live in Washington state, am married, and have two daughters.
I co-founded readergirlz, a social media site awarded the National Book Foundation's Innovations in Reading Prize. I also co-founded readertotz which aims to raise the profile of board books.
I'll see you between the pages, board books and YA!
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