Lucy, Uncensored

By Mel Hammond & Teghan Hammond

Published October 8, 2024! Order the book here.

A road trip through gender identity, self-expression, and the thorny process of figuring out where you fit after high school as an out-and-proud transgender teen.

Lucy imagines college as more than a chance to party with other drama nerds and be roommates with her best friend Callie. College will be her fresh start. For the first time, she’ll be able to introduce herself as Lucy to people she hasn’t gone to school with since kindergarten. Plus, she happens to live an hour away from one of the most prestigious theater programs in the country. She’s always dreamed of going to Central, but when she finally has a chance to visit, it’s not what she imagined.

While Lucy and Callie are on their campus tour, two kids from their high school make the typical transphobic comments Lucy’s gotten used to in her small town. She starts to worry that her dream school might end up being High School 2.0. What if she belongs somewhere else? Somewhere that she can truly have a fresh start?

When Lucy finds a beautiful school with a great theater program on a list of the most LGBTQ+ friendly colleges, it seems like fate—except that the school is hundreds of miles away. And there’s something unexpected about it: it’s a women’s college. As far as she can tell, they’ve never admitted a trans woman. Will they let Lucy in? There’s only one way to find out: road trip!

“Provides honest insight into the life of a trans girl who’s fighting to live her truth.” –Kirkus Reviews

“An emotionally resonant story with a touching and uplifting conclusion that will leave readers satisfied and cheering for Lucy’s future.” –Booklist

“An essential read for those who identify as gender diverse as well as for teens struggling to find their spots as they think beyond high school.” –School Library Journal

“At only about 250 pages, Lucy, Uncensored is packed with (theater) drama, but Lucy’s happiness takes center stage. Lucy encounters transphobic jerks, navigates her relationship with her dad, and experiences exhaustion in her journey as an advocate—but she also experiences joy and self-fulfillment.” –The Hub, Best Fiction for YA Featured Title

“This laugh-out-loud funny Young Adult gem will charm your socks off with a blend of Midwestern sass mixed with tender, coming-of-age queer realness. Sibling co-authors Mel and Teghan Hammond, Midwesterners themselves, have a way of pulling you in and making you feel like you are more than just a reader.” –Our Lives Wisconsin

“I ‘one more chaptered’ myself until midnight…. This should be a YA, coming-of-age library staple.” –The Library Dreamer @library.dreamer

“I loved the honest representation of the ongoing process of coming out that Lucy faced.” –Délice Harris @thehspbookshelf