The Shapeshifter's Guide to Gym Class
$42.27
- Hardcover
336 pages
- Release Date
31 March 2027
Summary
For fans of Judy Blume and Lee Knox Ostertag, a heartfelt and hilarious middle grade debut from Kai Cheng Thom about learning to listen to that quiet, bold voice in your heart.
In every generation, a special few of Nor Numinem are born shapeshifters. Unfortunately, being one of the “special few” does not get you out of gym class.
Nor Numinem. A town of hope and beauty. A place where freedom for all blooms as abundantly as the flowering vines that cover the buildings on every s…
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781668210871 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 1668210878 |
| Author: | Kai Cheng Thom |
| Publisher: | Simon & Schuster |
| Imprint: | Simon & Schuster |
| Format: | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages: | 336 |
| Release Date: | 31 March 2027 |
| Weight: | 397g |
| Dimensions: | 28mm x 133mm x 210mm |
| Audience Age: | 8-12 |
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Critics Review
“A powerful story told in a genuinely delightful way. Full of warmth and heart and humor.”
— KELLEY ARMSTRONG, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“A fresh perspective on the many (and sometimes, frightening) challenges that young people face, Kai Cheng Thom has written a book of vivid imagery coupled with exciting—and entertaining!—characters. A guide on how to survive, Kai encourages her characters and her readers to look within and remain true to oneself. Brava, Kai!”
— TAMORA PIERCE, bestselling author of The Song of the Lioness series
“A hopeful tale of growing up and embracing oneself within community.”
— Kirkus Reviews
Middle-schooler Maia Ng Tan is one of the few children of the town of Nor Numinem who was
born a shapeshifter. Unlike other shapeshifters, Maia does not transform into her part-animal
form with ease—she grows unruly moth wings whenever she’s experiencing heightened
emotions. When an illness begins to spread in Nor Numinem, some of the citizens unfairly blame
Maia and the other shapeshifters, and she has to learn how to understand and manage her
emotions and trust her own voice. And none of this even gets her out of going to gym class!
Interspersed with epistolary entries from the titular guidebook, Maia’s coming-of-age story is a
witty examination of friendship and bodily autonomy. Maia’s journey to discovering that her truest power is her sense of self is supported by her deep friendships and family relationships. The guidebook snippets complement the main story line with topics like puberty, independence, and advocating for friends through a difficult time. Sometimes even shapeshifters need to learn how to break the rules, handle first romance, and fight back against systems of oppression.
— Booklist
Kai Cheng Thom
Kai Cheng Thom is a Chinese-Canadian writer, performance artist, mental health community worker, youth counsellor, and former social worker. A non-binary transgender woman, Thom has published five books:
- Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars: A Dangerous Trans Girl’s Confabulous Memoir (2016)
- a place called No Homeland (2017)
- From the Stars in The Sky to the Fish in the Sea (2017)
- I Hope We Choose Love: A Trans Girl’s Notes from the End of the World (2019)
- Falling Back in Love With Being Human: Letters to Lost Souls (2023)
She is also the author of a book of essays centered on transformative justice.
Thom won the 2017 Dayne Ogilvie Prize for LGBTQ2S+ Emerging Writers and was a finalist for a Lambda Literary Prize in 2016 for Transgender Fiction and in 2017 for Transgender Poetry. In 2019, Fierce Femmes was chosen by Emma Watson as the March/April pick for the international feminist book club, Our Shared Shelf. In April 2024, Falling Back in Love With Being Human was nominated for the Pat Lowther Memorial Award.
Most recently, Kai Cheng added “advice columnist” to her repertoire with her column “Ask Kai: Advice for the Apocalypse.” Kai Cheng Thom lives in Toronto.
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