THIS IS the WAY it ALWAYS IS by Laurie Frankel

Laurie Frankel's novel put simply is about a couple with 5 sons and the youngest son is transgender.  However, there's nothing simple about this novel that is a caldron of unconditional love, the mysterious eternal evolution of life, wisdom and betwixt; magic.  Rosie and Penn meet while Rosie is doing her medical residency and Penn working on his MFA in writing on the campus of Madison, WI.  Their endearing relationship leads to marriage and the birth of 5 sons.  Two of the boys are twins and the youngest, Claude, is transgender.  Claude makes it clear prior to starting kindergarden to his parents and siblings that he - identifies as a she; Poppy.  Poppy is at the heart of this story but the goodwill & fortitude emanates plentifold from parenting, sibling hood, relationships, friendships and the acknowledgement life is forever about change.  Every child, every person is unique and non-conforming in their own way.  Even the unconditional love parents have for their children is constantly evolving and building in surprising ways.  Rosie, Penn and their 4 oldest boys all provide unconditional love & support.  However, the foundation on which familial love is based is also constantly shifting and morphing.  Support & compassion for loved one is based on thoughtful ways to be supportive.  There are hard decisions to be made by Poppy and her parents.  Happy is harder than it sounds but sad is okay.   What Frankel's sensitive & contemplative novel exudes is empathy,  humanity and acceptance.  Twins are partnered at birth but perceived unique individuals.  Penn's storytelling to his sons is a perpetuating fairytale saga of princesses, witches, knights and dueling opposites.  Penn's spontaneous tale is a vehicle for inclusiveness and understanding.  The family dynamics continue to change with time but the love for one another remains steadfast.   The story's virtuous fables deliver love & support for one another, acceptance of ourselves and others.  Another lesson gleaned is secrets kept alone breed fear while secrets shared sprout magic.