I really enjoyed and benefited from this likable and inspirational story of a young trans boy whose passion is "football" (soccer for Americans) and is determined to successfully play the sport, despite potential odds such as bullying and discrimination. I also appreciate the author's inclusion of the explanatory glossary. Uplifting and positive, and I recommend this title.

I got an ARC of this book.

I am a trans guy that did sports. I had to quit sports to transition. This was before all the focus on trans people on sports, it was the bullying that pushed me out more than policy and law. I wasn't accepted by the girls when they had any hint of queerness. The coach begged me to come back, but said I would have to stop hormones and get a note from the doctor saying I was still a girl, which would have barred me from top surgery and other transitional care. I would have to deny who I was and actively detransition just to play a sport.

Jacob had a different path. He had a supportive coach, he had supportive parents. The coach went out of his way to make sure that Jacob was respected, the coach took on the efforts to educate the team to make sure that Jacob was not excluded after ONE incident. Not waiting for Jacob to complain or quit. Instead the adults protected Jacob.

I loved that Jacob was allowed to keep playing and that he had dreams of playing for years to come. I love that there were some introductions to trans terms. It will be a way to show kid sthat there i snothing wrong with being trans. It is just a difference. Differences can be exciting. Differences should be respected. Jacob just wanted to play soccer with them, they just had to not be mean. There was some transphobia in the book, but it was addressed as being bad immediately. Jacob not only showed how much it hurt, but the coach lectured the team about respect. Then the class.

It was a wonderful message for parents and kids. I really liked this book.

Jacob's Transition Goals is a warming and lovely story about Jacob, a Trans boy who loves football and has recently moved to a boy's team. It follows Jacob's excitement to be a part of the team, love for the support including a local team that he aspires to join one day, and the first bumps in the road in the form of transphobic sentiment from his team-mates. The story deals with how transphobic bullying and any bullying that singles out differences is wrong and should be addressed in a way that is understandable and relatable to the target audience.
The art is beautiful with vibrant colours and a gorgeous visual identity. I particularly enjoy how visual motifs and colour are used to intensify dichotomous moods such as sadness and immense joy.
I highly recommend this beautiful picture book for any parents wanting to raise their child to be accepting of all of their peers (and themselves!) from the word go.

I love seeing more stories for young audiences centering trans characters, especially something that can be as relatable as playing sports. I loved the art style used for the illustrations and this was a really great story of a young trans boy getting to play on the boy’s team and seeing the teammates get some education when at first they exclude Jacob.

Thank you so much to Jessica Kingsley Publishers and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.

Absolutely wonderful book, I’m so happy that this exists it such a perfect read for any transgender child, for those in the life of a transgender child and honestly everyone else. It’s written so perfectly, it not only had a wonderful story of inclusion and acceptance it’s also so full of fasts at the end too.

I loved learning all about Jacob, about his love of football and how the changes made it harder for him to play. I really liked the way the author showcased it, with Jacob having such passion for what he wanted to do, who he wanted to be when he grew up. I loved that his coach was welcoming and caring, but that the team weren’t so much but with help they did eventually got there to acceptance and support.

I really had a great time reading this, it’s important that we include transgender human beings into sports, they still have as much passion and drive for it as anyone else does, so this is a perfect book to showcase and explore that starting with the children’s teams.

I really loved that the author shared so much of himself within this book too, getting a glimpse at the inspiration for the story and what his options are now within the football world. It’s so informative and can help guide so many readers into having more knowledge about Transgender people and also their inclusion within sports. I really enjoyed reading this book so much.

A fun picture book with a trans boy as main character who loves football. There are some issues when he joins the boys team but these are resolved.

I loved the art style of the picture book. The action shots with football are really well drawn.

A cute and fun but also telling read about a transgender youth playing a sport. Making sure kids are supportive and allowed to play was highlighted in this book. I also liked how the rest of the team got to learn information from a community source.

This was so sweet! I especially loved the glossary, advice, and FAQ-type sections at the back. People should be reading this to their kids, sports teams, and politicians!

Jacob's Transition Goals is a sweet children's book by Arthur Webb. It's the story about Jacob who's recently come out as a young transgender boy. He's got a wonderful, accepting family. And while his football coach is also accepting, he's still looking for acceptance from his mates on his team. Wanting to stop the bullying, his coach invites a transgender rights specialist to come talk to the other boys on the team. Now Jacob feels accepted and appreciated by his team.

This was such a heartwarming book and makes it so easy for children to understand why bullying and transphobia are so harmful.
I wish books like this had been around when I was growing up.
I want to buy copies of this for my nieces and nephews.

I thought that this was a wonderful book - it really gets the points across so well without them being forced, it is done really well.

The story is about a trans boy called Jacob, who loves football but when he joined a new boys team they didn't want to let him play, wouldn't pass the ball to him and tackled him even though they were on the same side, they were really mean to him just for being different.

The book has some great positive messaging that being transgender is nothing to be ashamed of and the coach arranged for a youth worker to come out and explain to the other boys and their families what LGBTQ+ and being transgender was about, how not including Jacob due to him being transgender was bullying and the importance of inclusion.

It is 5 stars from me for this one - very highly recommended!

This was so sweet! It is so easy for children to understand why bullying and transphobia are so harmful. I just love the inclusion and as someone who wants to be a kindergarten teacher, I am usually looking for books that is inclusive because I want the students to know that i care and accept them no matter.

As someone who wants to become a kindergarten teacher, I will definitely get this book for my classroom once I get a job because it's inclusive and provides representation for trans kids in sports, and how transphobia is so harmful, along with bullying, and why they shouldn't do that.

And as someone whose bisexual, I also love the fact that there's LGBTQIA+ representation. I'm not going to speak on whether it is good or not because i am myself not trans but i love that children's books are have queer representation.

Such an amazing story about a transgender kid in sports. I love how the kids are supportive and allowed to play was highlighted in this book. I love the representation in the book. I would most likely be using this in my future classroom(if i teach early elementary school) as it promotes inclusivity, which I love.

Jacob’s story is one of a young kid who loves football (soccer). A kid who was told they were a girl, but realized that was not correct. Jacob tells of the support he receives from his parents and his coach, and his excitement about playing on the boys team. But Jacob is bullied. The kids tell Jacob to go back to the girls team and blame their loss on their new teammate. Jacob arrives the next week to what feels like a whole new team, and discovers the change is due to the coach bringing in a LGBTQ educator and a mandatory learning session for players and parents.
This children’s book shows what true support from the adults in a child’s life can look like. I wish the sadness and harm from the bullying wasn’t so rushed. The story does not show any side effects of the bullying. Nor does it address where the kids learned to pick on transgender people (most likely from their parents). This book was still fun representation about a kid who knows who he is and what he loves.

Content Warning: bullying, transphobia

Jacob’s Transition Goals by Arthur Webber is a book that tackles a concept that should be simple but has recently been a hot button topic - trans people in sports.

Without a doubt trans people belong in sports but because society likes to other people this has been a topic that has been hard to grasp for some

This books tells a simple story. Jacob is trans and he just wants to play football with boys like him. His parents and new coach are supportive. But he faces some bullying from the other boys. Thankfully the adults in his life act swiftly and appropriately by educating his teammates and reminding them we shouldn’t other people simply for being different.

With a target audience of 3-7 years this tackles this topic in a simple age appropriate manner with colorful illustrations.

In the back there is a helpful FAQ for adults to be equip them for any questions their little reader might have.

Overall a delightful little book that tackles the subject well.

4,5/5 stars.

This was a short and sweet picture book. Obviously I liked the message it wanted to tell: sports is for everyone. I really liked the art style and how it was made sure both girls' and boys' teams represented different colors, sizes, shapes, and religions. The glossary and questions in the end were succinct and come in handy for many readers, I'm sure.

The language was super simple and easy enough to read even for people whose first language isn't English. If this was available when my kid was 5, I definitely would've read this to him.

This was so charming! I loved the colorful illustrations and the sense of movement throughout the artwork. The use of color is great, too.

On one hand, this felt a bit on the nose. But lordy, we're living in a world where this kind of book is needed. This would be a good read for parents, for trans kids, and for cis kids, too. I appreciated that this book tackled big, personal feelings (rather than focusing on systemic problems that could be hard to cover in so few pages) and showed healthy responses on the part of the grown-ups. Really drives home the point that loving, accepting adults can make a huge difference in any kid's life and overall confidence.

Also appreciated the author's notes at the end re: trans kids in sports. So much of the response to trans kids just EXISTING is rooted in fear and hate, and this book is bright, colorful, and generally positive. A great book to start conversations with young readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Jessica Kingsley Publishers for the ARC!

From the second I read this book's dedication (ending with 'to trans kids - you are seen, you are loved and you will be happy', I knew this story was going to be one of hope and light. After finishing the whole thing, I'm delighted to share that I was completely right! As far as picture books go, Jacob's Transition Goals is the perfect blend of eye-catching, unique illustrations and engaging, inspiring text.

SPOILERS AHEAD!

It begins with Jacob introducing himself as a football lover from a football-mad family. He explains that he used to play for a girls' team but joined a boys' one after coming out as transgender. Then, in one of the loveliest spreads in the book, Jacob explains in a super kid-friendly way what being transgender means. His parents are shown as being fabulously supportive and Jacob is truly proud of himself and his identity - as he should be! The drama begins when a football match starts and Jacob's fellow players refuse to let him have the ball at all, even jeopardising their chance of winning just so they can leave him out. When they inevitably lose the match, however, they blame Jacob and claim he needs to 'go back to the girls' team'.

Coach Sanchez has his moment of spectacular allyship then, explaining to the boys why their actions were unacceptable and even comparing Jacob to his favourite football player. Though the boys apologise, Jacob worries that they aren't truly sorry and dreads the next match. He soon learns, however, that their Coach organised the team to meet with a youth worker from an LGBTQ goup who answered their questions about being trans and explained why it was important to ensure Jacob was included.

The book ends, of course, with Jacob scoring a goal and being congratulated with his teammates. He is even given some great news about what his future could end up like!

In conclusion, this is a great book for kids of all ages to enjoy. It doesn't feel like a lecture, or an information pamphlet, it just feels like a brilliant , engaging story with an inspiring message that just s happens to have excellent trans representation. The 'Guide for Adults' section at the back of the book is a brilliant addition too, with its glossary and straightforward answers to commonly asked questions about trans people. I know many people - not just parents - who would benefit from reading it.

If the book's punny title wasn't enough to convince you to buy it, I hope my review is! It truly is utterly fantastic.

I love the inclusion in this story. I would definitely be using this in my future kindergarten classroom when I become one or first grade. This is a great children's book for early elementary and late preschool-age children to teach them about inclusion and the concept of being transgender. I am not going to talk about whether or not it's good representation because I myself am not trans. So please listen to the people who are and have reviewed the book.

Ratings
- Inclusion: 10/10
- Illustrations: 10/10

"To trans kids - you are seen, you are loved and you will be happy."

Jacob is a trans boy who loves football, so naturally, he wants to join a team and play! As part of his social transition, he switched from a girls' team to a boys' team. But when the first match comes around, the other boys won't let him have the ball. Thankfully, his coach is supportive, and tells the team off for their bullying. He takes the opportunity to organize a meeting with a youth worker, who explains to the team everything about being trans. This helps the team to accept Jacob, and he's able to score his first goal in the next match!

This picture book does a great job of addressing the "debate" about trans people in sports in a way that's accessible to children. It makes for a great starting point for a conversation with kids about why it's important to include everyone. At times, I did think the terms used might be a little complex for children, but at the same time, that just means there's plenty of room to have a conversation around the story. The book also includes a helpful glossary for adults for the same reason.

The illustrations are by the same artist who also did Me & My Dysphoria Monster by Laura Kate Dale, another trans picture book I loved. The art is super colourful, and makes the story feel even more heartfelt.

This is such a sweet book about inclusion and learning about transgender kids. I love the colors used throughout the book. It was bright and bold using all the colors of the rainbow. Its a easy read for children to understand. You learn read about what being transgender really is. The book even has a glossary that explain what certain words mean. All schools should use this book to help all children feel included and accepted for who they really are.