Other Boys

Reach for this book when your middle schooler is retreating into silence, struggling with the pressure to fit in, or processing the lingering effects of early childhood loss. In this moving graphic memoir, Damian Alexander recounts his decision to stop speaking in seventh grade as a way to navigate a world that felt unsafe and judgmental. Through shifts between his middle school years and his early childhood, the story explores themes of grief, bullying, and the complex performance of masculinity. Parents will find this an invaluable tool for validating the experience of the outsider and opening a dialogue about the long term impact of trauma. It is a realistic, compassionate look at why some children shut down and how they can eventually find the courage to be seen and heard again.