{"product_id":"the-shapeshifters-guide-to-gym-class-9781668210871","title":"The Shapeshifter's Guide to Gym Class","description":"\u003cb\u003eFor 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.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eIn 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.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e 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 street. Yet even in this beautiful town, a kid like Maia's got problems. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Maia is a shapeshifter. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e And worse, she's starting middle school. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e In every generation, a special few of Nor Numinem are born shapeshifters: children who develop the mysterious ability to transform into a part-animal shape. Unfortunately for Maia, her ability is merely this: to grow giant moth wings that grow uncontrollably out of her back whenever she's excited, or upset, or for some reason, whenever her new classmate Luke looks at her in a particular way. Worse than worse? Maia's wings are useless. Weak and fragile--unlike her talented friends. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e But Maia's problems are about get much harder than even she knows. A strange illness is spreading through the gardens of Nor Numinem. The very gardens that feed and sustain this once-perfect town. Worse still, some of the adults think the shapeshifter children are to blame. As rumors turn into hate, life gets tougher for those who aren't seen as \"normal\". Maia and her friends will soon discover that there is a dark rift in Nor Numinem, one that will take all their talents, known and unknown, to heal.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Kai Cheng Thom\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Simon \u0026amp; Schuster\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 09\/01\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 336\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.91lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.49h x 5.66w x 1.16d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781668210871\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAudience:\u003c\/b\u003e Ages 9-12\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e 08\/01\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e 09\/01\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKai Cheng Thom is a Chinese-Canadian writer, performance artist, mental health community worker, youth counsellor, and former social worker. Thom, a non-binary transgender woman, has published five books, including the novel \u003ci\u003eFierce Femmes and Notorious Liars: A Dangerous Trans Girl's Confabulous Memoir\u003c\/i\u003e (2016), the poetry collection \u003ci\u003ea place called\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci\u003eNo Homeland\u003c\/i\u003e (2017), a children's book, \u003ci\u003eFrom the Stars in The Sky to the Fish in the Sea\u003c\/i\u003e (2017), \u003ci\u003eI Hope We Choose Love: A Trans Girl's Notes from the End of the World\u003c\/i\u003e (2019), a book of essays centered on transformative justice, and \u003ci\u003eFalling Back in Love With Being Human: Letters to Lost Souls\u003c\/i\u003e (2023). \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e She won the 2017 Dayne Ogilvie Prize for LGBTQ2S+ Emerging Writers and was a finalist for a Lambda Literary Prize both in 2016 for Transgender Fiction and in 2017 for Transgender Poetry. In 2019, actress Emma Watson chose \u003ci\u003eFierce Femmes\u003c\/i\u003e as the March\/April pick for the international feminist book club, Our Shared Shelf. In April 2024, her most recent book \u003ci\u003eFalling Back in Love With Being Human\u003c\/i\u003e was nominated for Pat Lowther Memorial Award. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Most recently, Kai Cheng added \"advice columnist\" to her repertoire with her new column for Xtra, \"Ask Kai: Advice for the Apocalypse\". Kai Cheng Thom lives in Toronto.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"Kai Cheng Thom \/ Hardcover \/ English","offer_id":48910156464285,"sku":"9781668210871","price":21.58,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/files\/img_9966fcde-a95c-4749-8711-047641f7e5bf.jpg?v=1789456546","url":"https:\/\/booksdeli.com\/products\/the-shapeshifters-guide-to-gym-class-9781668210871","provider":"booksdeli.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}