Booklist Editors’ Choice
Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
ALA Rainbow Book List Top Ten Choice for Young Readers
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For fans of Melissa and Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World, a heartfelt story about a nonbinary character navigating a binary world.
Twelve-year-old Ana-Marie Jin, the reigning US Juvenile figure skating champion, is not a frilly dress kind of kid. So, when Ana learns that next season’s program will be princess themed, doubt forms fast. Still, Ana tries to focus on training and putting together a stellar routine worthy of national success.
Once Ana meets Hayden, a transgender boy new to the rink, thoughts about the princess program and gender identity begin to take center stage. And when Hayden mistakes Ana for a boy, Ana doesn’t correct him and finds comfort in this boyish identity when he’s around. As their friendship develops, Ana realizes that it’s tricky juggling two different identities on one slippery sheet of ice. And with a major competition approaching, Ana must decide whether telling everyone the truth is worth risking years of hard work and sacrifice.
Available in hardcover, paperback, ebook & audiobook!
Little, Brown | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound | Bookshop.org
Accolades
Ana on the Edge has been named a Bank Street College of Education 2021 Best Book of the Year! Check out the full list here (PDF).
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Ana on the Edge has been named to the ALA 2021 Rainbow Book List Top 10 for Young Readers! Check out the full list here.
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Ana on the Edge has been chosen as a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection! I’m honored and excited for Ana’s story to reach more readers.
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Ana on the Edge has been named a New York Public Library Favorite Trans, Nonbinary & Gender Nonconforming Title of 2020. Here’s the full list.
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Ana on the Edge has been named a 2020 Notable Debut by Trans, Non-binary, and Gender Non-conforming Authors by the Chicago Review of Books. See the full list.
Praise for Ana on the Edge
⭐️ “Sass masterfully balances Ana’s passion for competitive figure skating with her journey to coming out. …sensitive and realistic.”
—Booklist, starred review
“Sass has created dynamic, original characters who are believable and fun to follow… You can’t help rooting for Ana…”
—The New York Times Book Review
“Sass renders scenes on and off the ice with vivid descriptions, and writes nuanced, layered portrayals of characters.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Vulnerable and affirming.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“The tone of the story remains hopeful as [Ana] works toward a new understanding of herself. The personal connection of the author, himself a figure skater who identifies as nonbinary, to the story is evident within its pages in both the nuances of figure skating and Ana’s interrogation of gender.”
—The Horn Book
“Heartfelt, nuanced and engaging, Ana on the Edge is both an insider’s look at the world of competitive figure skating and a sensitive exploration of the protagonist’s nonbinary identity. Highly recommended.”
—Barbara Dee, award-winning author of Maybe He Just Likes You and My Life in the Fish Tank
“Sass’s gorgeous, much-needed debut fills a void on LGBTQ+ middle-grade shelves.”
—Nicole Melleby, award-winning author of Hurricane Season
“Ana on the Edge is a poignant exploration of the importance of being seen for who you are. Ana will glide into your heart and open your mind to the richness of the full gender spectrum.”
—Ami Polonsky, award-winning author of Gracefully Grayson and Spin With Me
“A lovely, necessary story of self-discovery and friendship.”
—Ashley Herring Blake, author of Stonewall Honor book Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World