One of the Boys

By Victoria Zeller

Book Overview

NOW IN PAPERBACK Instant New York Times Bestseller

Stonewall Book Award Winner

Best of the Year: Chicago Public Library * New York Public Library * Booklist * Publishers Weekly * BookPage

From exciting debut talent Victoria Zeller comes One of the Boys, a coming-of-age story with an unforgettable voice for the queer jocks, the straight theater kids, and everyone in between.

Grace Woodhouse was a star kicker with a D1 future, but that was before she came out as transgender and quit football. Now, as senior year begins, Grace is navigating a new life with queer friends and a fresh perspective.

But when her old teammates beg her to rejoin the Pageland High football team, Grace can't resist the call of the game. Can she be both a star football player and a trans girl? As Grace steps back onto the field, she'll face transphobia, navigate complicated feelings for her ex-girlfriend, and learn to unite her past and present. One of the Boys is a heartfelt, funny, and inspiring story about self-discovery, breaking stereotypes, and the power of solidarity, all wrapped up in an unforgettable season of high school football.

Perfect for fans of sports stories and authentic queer narratives, this book is a winning game of "feelingsball" you won't want to miss "

P R A I S E

"Heartfelt, hilarious, and blisteringly honest. One of the Boys is genuinely one of the best contemporary YAs I've ever had the pleasure of reading." --Andrew Joseph White, New York Times bestselling author of Compound Fracture

"Completely and beautifully immersed in the world of its sport, One of the Boys is as funny as it is emotional, as honest as it is hopeful, and as exciting as it is comforting. This is exactly the book I wanted to read, and Grace is exactly the protagonist I wanted to follow. Her voice, much like Victoria Zeller's prose, is a joy. I absolutely loved it." --KT Hoffman, author of The Prospects

★ "A standout first work, setting a high bar for the blooming subgenre of queer sports fiction." --Booklist (starred)

★ "One of the Boys is an amazing feel-good read for any teen (or adult ) who loves football--but for those who know nothing about the sport, Zeller does a great job making it accessible. Alongside great sports plays and banter, Zeller also prioritizes "feelingsball," or mapping Grace's mental and emotional journey as she works to unite the football world and the LGBTQ+ world, two spaces with long-held stereotypes and prejudices against each other. One of the Boys is a standout work of YA fiction, as inspiring and illuminating as it is funny and relatable." --BookPage (starred)

★ "Zeller artfully exposes the tender underbelly of locker room posturing, presenting a subversive, experience-informed interpretation of toxic masculinity ... An intersectionally diverse cast--which includes Grace's taciturn yet supportive single father--helps the protagonist forge her own path and blaze a trail for others in this necessary debut." --Publishers Weekly (starred)

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1646146581
• ISBN13: 9781646146581
• Release Date: May 2026
• Publisher: Lantern Paperbacks
• Length: 344 Pages
• Age Range: 12 to 18 years
• Grade Range: Grade 7 to Postsecondary