North of Tomboy: A Novel

North of Tomboy: A Novel by Julie A. Swanson. Michigan, 1973. Jess Jezowski is a shy fourth grader who feels more boy than girl, and the people around her act blind to it. Handed yet another girly baby doll at Christmas, she does not ignore it or destroy it this time. She turns it into Mickey, a brave, funny little boy who says out loud everything she cannot. Then Mickey grows louder than she is, the secret of him escapes the family, and Jess has to find a way to fold that side of herself back into her own voice. Based on the author’s childhood on Michigan’s rural Leelanau Peninsula, with artwork throughout. Silver medal winner in the 9 to 12 category at the 2025 Wishing Shelf Book Awards.