Changes

Ethan, who is 14, is just hoping to wake up in time to begin his high school career in a brand new town. Imagine his shock when he wakes up AS A GIRL. What the what? How can this happen? It turns out that Ethan, now Drew, is a Changer, one of an ancient race of humankind, and he will undergo not one, but THREE more such changes - one for each year of his time at high school. Drew's parents are overjoyed at their offspring's transformation but Drew is not happy at all.

I did enjoy ''Changers'', I really did. It wears its heart on its sleeve and its messages of inclusivity and understanding are incredibly powerful. But it's not perfect. Readers who want subtlety in their stories might feel it's lacking in ''Changers''. The idea that Changers represent marginalised groups who experience discrimination - women and sexism, LGBT people and homophobia and transphobia - is um... more like a sledgehammer on your head than a gradual realisation. And sometimes the latter is actually more effective. And you'll have to suspend some credibility over how this all works. Amazingly, the life-cycle of an ancient species of human has evolved to exactly match an American high school career, for example.

The story is really a plea for empathy and an illustration of the complexity and transformational nature of identity. We could all do with more empathy. We've all woken up wishing we could be someone else, if only for a day. And if you have ever felt the need of some empathy or been confused about your identity, or if you are now, take a trip on over to the ''Changers'' related [http://www.wearechangers.org/ Empathy Project]. You'll like it there.

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