In this funny and hugely heartfelt novel from an award-winning author, a sixth-grader's life is turned upside down when she learns her dad is trans Annabelle Blake fully expects this school year to be the same as every other: same teachers, same classmates, same, same, same. So she’s elated to discover there’s a new kid in town. To Annabelle, Bailey is a breath of fresh air. She loves hearing about their life in Seattle, meeting their loquacious (and kinda corny) parents, and hanging out at their massive house. And it doesn’t hurt that Bailey has a cute smile, nice hands (how can someone even have nice hands?), and smells really good. Suddenly sixth grade is anything but the same. And when her irascible father shares that he and Bailey have something big—and surprising—in common, Annabelle begins to see herself, and her family, in a whole new light. At the same time she starts to realize that her community, which she always thought of as home, might not be as welcoming as she had thought. Together Annabelle, Bailey, and their families discover how these categories that seem to mean so much—boy, girl, gay, straight, fruit, vegetable—aren’t so clear-cut after all. 2023 Lambda Literary Award Finalist An American Library Association 2023 Rainbow Book NPR Best Books of 2022 Bookpage Best Middle Grade Books of 2022 Kirkus Best Books of 2022 Booklist Editors' Choice 2022 Boston Globe Best Books of 2022 Parents Best Books of 2022 ★ “Kyle Lukoff’s remarkable Different Kinds of Fruit will be as meaningful to young readers today as Judy Blume’s Are you There God? It’s Me, Margaret was for generations of readers before them.” – BookPage , starred review ★ “Lukoff masterfully portrays the personalities, both child and adult, that Annabelle comes to know, believes she knows, and those whom Annabelle questions can ever know her…This one belongs in every library serving grade-school kids.” – School Library Journal , starred review ★ “This is a valuable, informative, entertaining, and realistic read for middle school students.” – School Library Connection , starred review ★ “Lukoff reflects diversity in the world around Annabelle while also heightening her awareness of spaces that are not as inclusive as they claim to be and exploring what to do with that understanding. Inquisitive, engaged, and action-seeking.” – Kirkus Reviews, starred review ★ “Lukoff offers a story with vivid, well-rounded characters that never talks down to kids… Themes of inclusion and privilege in today's society are seamlessly integrated into the familiar plot of a kid's first crush, and the focus on the great ways that communities can come together to keep everyone within it safe is a gratifying through line.” – Booklist, starred review “Bighearted and affirming.” – Publishers Weekly “A brave title for a time when we need brave books for kids more than ever." – Betsy Bird, A Fuse #8 Production “This exploration of gender issues will engage readers with its satisfying progression as the sixth graders fight a bigoted mother in the classroom and take steps to join the wider LGBTQ+ community.” – The Horn Book “Newbery Honor winner Kyle Lukoff takes a deft hand to navigating the complexity of different generations of LGBTQIA+ activists and how their own prejudices can affect their children.” – NPR Kyle Lukoff is the author of many books for young readers. His debut middle-grade novel, Too Bright To See , received a Newbery honor, the Stonewall award, and was a National Book Award finalist. His picture book When Aidan Became A Brother also won the Stonewall. While becoming a writer he worked as a bookseller for ten years, and then nine more years as a school librarian. chapter 1 Okay, I know that the sunset is majestic and timeless and awe-inspiring and everything, but also there was some ice cream dripping onto my hand and it was extremely important that I tend to that at once. And yes, the light did spread out over the water like sparkly popcorn, and yes, it was cool the way the sun hovered trembling above the horizon. However, I also had a big scoop of Nutella ice cream, which is my absolute favorite, in a waffle cone, which is also my absolute favorite, and my ice cream was melting fast in the hottest August on record. The sun would set again tomorrow but my hand might be sticky and gross for the whole ride home because my dad, unlike my mom, doesn’t carry a purse filled with wet wipes. “Told you to get it in a cup,” Dad said. He was taking leisurely bites of his mint chocolate chip, gazing out at the Pacific. Little bites, like he had all the time in the world, which I guess he did because even if his ice cream melted into soup (which is great, I love ice cream soup in an appropriate container), he wouldn’t have the whole sticky-hands problem that I was currently struggling to prevent. Not to mention that I was wearing one of my cutest dresses, cream-colored with a halter top and a swishy ski