Funny thing about some of the negative—and even a few positive ones—reviews of I am Jazz. They think the book should be Jazzier with a capital J. Meaning, one supposes, that the book would read more like a reflection of Jazz in the way that she comes across on her reality TV series. The problem, of course, is one of demographics. The TV show is aimed at a much older audience whereas the very fact that this is a picture book indicates its target audience.
The whole point of adding this media to the ever-expanding branding empire of Jazz Jennings—and that is not intended to be taken snarkily—is to reach out to the segment of the trans community which may not yet even realize they are part of that community: younger kids experiencing gender issues and their parents in need of guidance themselves on how to deal with this admittedly difficult issue.
The beauty of I am Jazz is in its simplicity and directness. Jazz represents, well, let’s assume not the majority of transgender girls. It is a confusing thing not made better by the pressures of society to conform. Where she proudly and defiantly insisted upon recognizing her true gender very early, many if not most come to that point much more slowly. In fact, it can sometimes take a trans girl until she is a facing the depressing prospect of living as middle-aged man on the verge of becoming senior male before recognition or at least self-acceptance finally arrives.
The simplicity of this book which has managed to make it into the right hands of kid at an early age may just possibly be the difference between that private tragedy occurring one more time and a life looked back upon as everything it could have been—everything it should have been. There are lots of kids out there dressing up as and being treated as little boys who downplay their love of mermaids because they secretly want to become one and that desire is as about as close to a secret code among future trans girls as there is likely to be. They will get this book with plethora of mermaid imagery in a way that other kids, their parents, and most adults never will. In that sense, I am Jazz is Jazzier than almost all those reviewers will ever know.
