Moon Lake Book Club: This Is How It Always Is

This Is How It Always Is, a beautifully written novel by Laurie Frankel, tells the story of a family that is, in some ways, typical—with the high energy of an all-boy household, parents’ work that never seems to be done, and a loving devotion to one another.
​
Central to the story is the youngest child who, born into a family of four brothers, prefers to identify as a girl. The tale explores how these uncharted waters are handled by his immediate family and by the various communities the family lives in, from Wisconsin to Seattle to Thailand.

Interspersed throughout the book is a fairy tale that the father tells his children as a bedtime story—a tale that expands and morphs throughout their childhoods, often paralleling their own real-life challenges.

This family’s struggle is real. Their humor is real. Their fears are real. It is reported that more than 40% of transgender children attempt suicide. This story helps us understand their challenges.

Everyone is free to join in the dicussion on Saturday, November 16.