i’m so glad i was able to read this book, it’s so beautifully written and the illustrations are so cute! i absolutely loved the art style.

the book is such a great introduction into gender dysphoria. It explains what it is in an easy to understand way, not only for kids but even for adults that don’t really understand what gender dysphoria is. the book also shows how family and friends can help, show support and ultimately deal with that gender dysphoria monster. as someone with my own gender dysphoria, this was such a heartwarming story that i wish i had growing up.

it also includes a guide to parents with further information about gender dysphoria, terminology and even a little questions section that answers some common questions asked by people, which i think is just so brilliant

i genuinely, even as a 24 year old, loved this book. it even made me tear up a little! that’s how you know it’s a good book! i cannot wait to be able to buy this for my nephew and niece!

This is a short book explaining gender dysphoria to children. Very bright and colourful, the text is easy to understand and is accessible fr children. I do wonder if there are easier words that children could use as many adults find the word ‘dysphoria’ difficult let alone children but maybe it's best to stick to the correct terms?

At the back, there is a guide for adults which is very helpful for opening discussions and being able to answer some of the questions children may have.

I liked the way the dysphoria was portrayed as a monster that followed the child everywhere and would grow when certain things happened like being told to use the boy's bathroom or be on the boys’ team. I am not transgender and do not know anyone personally who is but many other ‘disorders’ behave in the same way and I completely understand how this would be the case with gender too. I don’t mean to be dismissive or to suggest that this is a ‘just in their head’ type of thing, more that it’s a great way to describe how our feelings follow us to small children and allow them to visualise it easily.

I found this to be a good educational tool for children and an easy way to begin a discussion whether about them, someone they know or just generally.

A great way to explain dysphoria to children who don't experience it, and to help children that experience it not feel so alone. It is always helpful to be able to put words to your feelings as a child and this book does wonders

I adored this book! While, as a non-binary person, I’ve never visualized my dysphoria as a “monster” (that would be my anxiety), this was a very cute and relatable book. I can’t wait to add it to my public library’s collection!

This book was adorable and I hope it's available in every school!! I loved the simple yet emotional story about dysphoria told in a way that teaches both kids and parents how to deal with it. I thought it was perfect and the illustrations are absolutely beautiful.

It includes a short guide in the back for adults which is a nice addition for parents/guardians that may need to explain these terms to their kids (or even understand them themselves to support their loved ones!). Tbh this picture book could be useful to everyone.

I received and arc via netgalley but will def buy it!!

This picture book is a wonderful way to explain gender dysphoria to small children! So often we as parents describe fears and feelings as little monsters that can be scary to kids and can be bravely fought - this uses languages we're familiar with to explain things that may not be as familiar to us. Illustrations are adorably clear and the resource definitions at the end of the story will help grown-ups get familiar with explaining these concepts. A wonderful intro!

Explaining gender dysphoria in the simplest and most accessible terms I've ever seen, with absolutely adorable art work, this book will be an important resource for young trans kids and one every school library should have. I've read Laura Kate Dale's memoir before, which was a really valuable reading experience, and this one is just as valuable, just for a different target audience. More than ever, trans kids need support, and this book is such a great starting point for that. I loved seeing the support from the adults in the book as well. particularly Jack, as an adult trans person.

A really short book for explaining gender dysphoria to children. The text is easy to understand for the most part and I think it will be generally accessible to children. I also think it's good that there's a guide for adults included, which should help them open up these conversations.

I also liked the things the author picked to speak about, showing how dysphoria can increase when certain things happen, like being told to use a particular bathroom or play on a sports team that's exclusively male or female. I'm transgender and this definitely rang true for me.

I would have liked maybe a little more story to the book, as I think that can help children engage a bit more and connect with the character, but as an educational tool this is good.

Cute story for children that addresses the issue of gender identity. The back of the book has a supplemental, adult-themed glossary of all things gender related, so that adults can carry on a well-informed conversation with their child about what they just read.

Surprisingly thorough and informative. I'd recommend this for any child struggling with gender identity, as well as to their parent/guardian. Good book.

This was a gentle and beautiful way of expressing and explaining what dysphoria is, for both children and parents. Many people grow up with this ''monster'' that was mentioned and that only grows, and they suffer with it, a lot.
And then there are many problems, some parents cannot understand their children or know what to do and some children don't understand or don't know how to express what they feel. This is the kind of thing that should be taught to children while they are still young. They should learn these kinds of things at school because signs of dysphoria show up already when they are children, when they interact with people and over time when they start discovering more about themselves.
Illustrations of this type should also appear in places easily accessible to adults because they also need this type of information, if the child or teen discovers this about himself and the parents doesn't have the ''best reaction'', it ends up affecting the person a lot very negatively, because they need support and above all love, this is a really delicated subject that should be known by everyone and respected..
I found it very well illustrated and I liked the simplicity of the work.

Representation: 10
Story: 10
Illustration: 10

Me and My Dysphoria Monster is a beautifully illustrated, impactful story. It uses simple-to-understand words, and it delivers the message from the point of empathy.

Books like these are so important, and I feel that any parent and educator should have them in their library. Gender dysphoria is a meaningful topic of conversation with children as we are responsible for raising a generation more tolerant, inclusive, safe and respectful than before.

** Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review. **

I love this book, and I believe it will be very useful to both children and adults. For transgender children, I know it will help them feel less isolated and alone, and for the adults around transgender children, both the story and the reading guide provide the necessary context for beginning the journey of supporting a transgender child. I particularly like that, while the two transgender characters in the story are a girl and a man, there is mention in the children's book as well as in the reading guide of nonbinary genders.

"Me and My Dysphoria Monster" is a beautifully illustrated children's book about a young trans girl named Nisha experiencing gender dysphoria. Throughout the book, her dysphoria is represented as an ever-changing monster that grows when she's misgendered, but starts to shrink and become more tame as she experiences gender euphoria. I love the premise of this - with children's books, illustrations play a key role in storytelling, and the idea to visualize gender dysphoria as a monster seems like the perfect way to explain such a complex topic to kids. As a trans person, I've found that kids frequently understand my transition and gender, but sometimes have a harder time understanding what gender dysphoria is if they don't experience it themselves - this seems like a great way to abstractly portray this concept.

There were some places where the dialogue or the writing in general felt clunky, but that's likely due to the book still being in the early phases of editing. The art carries the story so much that this didn't really hinder my experience with the book. The most that came from this were moments where I stopped and re-read a sentence a couple of times to make sure I understood the message. Regarding the book's use of language in general, I think that Dale does a good job simplifying trans concepts for kids so that they get the main idea without it becoming condescending. I also appreciated her inclusion of an "Adult's Guide" at the end of the book, which includes more text information about transitioning and what it means to me transgender, including FAQs and important terms/definitions to know. One thing I might like to see added to this section would be some sources for the information itself, or maybe recommended websites that readers could visit for more information, like the Trevor Project or PFLAG. I know that websites can sometimes become dated with time, but I still think it would be a good inclusion so that parents or teachers reading the book could expand their understanding of trans issues.

All in all, this was a delightful read - the colors and illustrations are vibrant, and the story was wonderful. To end, here are some short comments on things I really loved about this book: The reader meets Nisha as a girl and never learns her deadname, Nisha realizes she's trans after talking to a trans adult (whose "monster" is now a little frog perched on his shoulder! ADORABLE!!), and the book normalizes introducing yourself with your name and pronouns. I think this would be perfect for an elementary school class or library - certainly a great place to start discussions about trans folks in the classroom!

A short, yet informing read that tackles body dysphoria and transitioning. An important read and an excellent resource for helping both children and adults understand. Explained in a simple and easy to understand way, while still being engaging. A beautifully illustrated book.

I, without a doubt will be buying this for my classroom as soon as it is available - and I qualify! This story is suitable for young readers to begin to broach the subject of gender identity, and why they or their friends could be experiencing some feelings of dysphoria the same as Nisha. Most importantly, this book focuses on positive support for children going through feelings of being transgender, and opens up a respectful dialogue that can be built upon and reinforced throughout their childhood with other children or adults. I especially loved the adult guide at the back of the book, it was very clear and concise and there were links on where to go for further support or advice for talking to children about gender identity. Finally, the illustrations throughout the book were beautiful, colourful and so very cute. This must be included in all classrooms!

This.Book.Is.Goregeous.

To began the illustrations in this book are a dream, Nisha (the main character) has such a charming expressive face!

But aside from being a work of art, Me and My Dysphoria Monster is an excellent visual representation of the struggles trans youth go through and how it effects them. As a transgender man myself I would of loved books like this as a child, perhaps my dysphoria monster would have shrunk a lot sooner- and it makes me so happy to know the next generation have books like this.

This story would be fantastic not only for trans children however, but also cis children (and even adults) to understand their friends or family who fall under the trans umbrella. I especially love that the book ends with a short guide to some key Trans related terminology.

This was a fantastic book. There's so much I love about it. For trans kids, this provides a great narrative of a trans kid who finds happiness in their transition and could be a great conversation starter if you suspect your child may be transgender. The use of the dysphoria "monster" provided a great visual and was a great depiction for helping kids name and deal with dysphoria. On the flip side, this is also a great resource for cis kids (and adults!) to help them understand what a trans kid may be feeling on the inside. Overall this was a wonderful and fantastic book. I recommend it to everyone, kids and adults alike.

Such a beautifully illustrated book that does an AMAZING job talking about body dysphoria and transitioning in a way young children can easily understand and relate with. I will be buying this one for sure and hope it becomes a must read in schools! Absolutely loved it!! Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance review copy!

CW: Misgendering, detailed descriptions of gender dysphoria

As a trans man, I wish I had this book as a kid. It is so important and great to have books like this for trans kids. This follows a trans girl experiencing gender dysphoria and how she helps reduce it by socially transitioning. For Nisha, her gender dysphoria is a monster that won't go away. I love the way the author explained gender dysphoria because it really illustrated how it's experienced by showing Nisha in social settings.

I love the way the monster was illustrated and how simple this explains gender dysphoria for kids. I also love the FAQ for parents at the end. It's super detailed! This is a must-read for trans people and parents of trans kids. You'll learn a lot, especially how to go about your kid coming out to you. The author states to give them affirming care, which I 100% agree with.

I will be ordering myself a copy of this!

Love love loved this!

The artwork is stunning. The way everything starts dark but gets brighter as soon as Nisha is able to put into words how she feels after meeting another trans person - it’s beautiful and heartwarming and everything trans kids deserve.

This isn’t just for kids though - it also has an “Adult’s Guide” in the back with “useful terminology and explanations.”

The only thing that took away from the experience was the formatting of my ARC - some sentences looked wonky, and other times letters or words were completely missing, so I had to try to figure out what it was saying.

Huge thank you to Netgalley and Jessica Kingsley Publishers for letting me have an ARC of this!