Summary
The next section begins with Bug waking up to the smell of breakfast. He vaguely remembers his dream from the previous night, with foggy images of his uncle in drag at a barber shop. He sees Moira, who is immediately shocked by his appearance. He feels his head and realizes he's bald. Bug goes into the bathroom with the other girls and sees an electric hair clipper full of chunks of dark hair.
They are unnerved by this strange occurrence, but tell Bug that he looks great. Bug looks at himself and feels the stubble on his head and finally feels like himself. He sees a boy in the mirror and realizes that this is what his uncle was trying to communicate. He realizes that he is, and always has felt like, a boy. Moira calls out to Bug and he answers, finally feeling comfortable with the sound of his voice. They all compliment Bug's hair and he leaves to go talk to his mom.
Bug rushes home and is excited but nervous to tell his mom the news. He gets home and tells his mom that he is a boy. He says that looking in the mirror this morning he finally realized who he was. She hugs him and they both cry happily. She says that he is her beautiful boy. Bug tells her about the realization he's had thanks to Uncle Roderick, noting that these slightly scary experiences were ultimately good, as they helped him know himself.
In the next chapter, Bug tells Moira that he is transgender and identifies as a boy. Moira is happy for Bug and unsurprised, she says that they will have no trouble making friends next year. Bug is initially annoyed, feeling that Moira is more focused on school than his big news. Moira clarifies that she was worried Bug would have a hard time at school because he seemed so unhappy before, but now he seems assured and confident.
They argue about whether or not Moira thought of Bug as a burden, but Moira says that if anything she feels like she hasn't always been comfortable or a good friend. She acknowledges that at times she was jealous of Bug's good grades and bravery. Bug's mom takes them shopping and Bug happily buys boy's clothing and has fun with Moira.
Bug is excited about going to school and wakes his mom up earlier. They stop in at the office where his mom talks to the principal, Mrs. Campbell, about making sure Bug is taken care of and not bullied. The principal is kind and reassuring to both of them. Bug has lunch with Moira and Griffin and tells them that he is transgender. Bug returns home, excitedly talking about his day. Bug's mom talks about when Roderick came out and how she was the first person he told. Bug's mom goes into her room and gasps when she finds a locket left for her. The locket has a picture of her and Bug's father. Bug says it's Roderick saying goodbye. The book ends with a final dream sequence in which Bug sits by the creek with his uncle Roderick, who says he's so proud of him.
Analysis
Gender is the central theme of the book’s conclusion. Bug awakens to discover that he has a shaved head. The comfort he feels running his hands over his bald spot and looking in the mirror leads him to realize that he is a boy and that his uncle has been trying to tell him that he is transgender. Suddenly, as soon as Bug comes to this insight, he feels more comfortable with himself. Everything from the sound of his voice to the appearance of his face seems right, in a way that it never had been previously. Everyone at the sleepover compliments Bug’s haircut and Moira notices a change in his demeanor. In this moment, Bug finally finds a sense of himself, as he is no longer weighed down by the wrong gender. In this way, the book shows how Bug’s journey has reached its happy end and how he is finally able to be at peace with who he really is.
Family is another core theme of this section. The book’s emotional climax is Bug’s conversation with his mom. He races home, anxious to tell her the news. He tells her that he is a boy and she responds lovingly, saying he is beautiful. They embrace tearfully. Earlier in the chapter, Bug expresses anxiety about his mother’s response, remembering sad stories of families rejecting transgender children in the pamphlets she read earlier in the book. While this fortunately doesn’t happen to her, it reveals how important this moment is for Bug. Here, the book demonstrates how crucial a supportive family is for Bug, as this comfort gives him the safety to be himself and navigate his journey of self-discovery safely.
Friendship is also an important theme in the conclusion of the book. Bug tells Moira about the realization of his gender after talking to his mom. This moment is also significant for Bug and he is surprised by how easily Moira accepts who he really is. This comfort gives way to irritation when Bug feels as though Moira is still mostly focused on their next year of school and how his newfound sense of self will help them make friends. They talk more and both acknowledge that they held certain frustrations about the friendships before. Moira says she was concerned about Bug making friends while Bug says that he was definitely irritable at different points in time about the things Moira wanted to do. Moira also says that she has felt jealous of Bug in different moments, for his academic ability and willingness to try new things. This moment shows that friendship is important for Bug's journey while also showing the stumbling blocks to earlier points in the relationships. It shows how Bug needs Moira but also that Moira is still experiencing some similar struggles with becoming an adult.
Coming of age is a significant thematic element in these chapters. In the final chapters of the book, Bug attends the first day of middle school. He is excited about school and feels comfortable with his friends, like Moira and Griffin. This shows a shift in Bug's attitude about getting older. Where before, reaching middle school and adolescence was a source of anxiety, now Bug finds himself free to enjoy this milestone. This optimistic conclusion to the book reveals how much of a difference Bug's gender identity made in his feelings about this new phase of his life. With a grounded sense of himself, Bug is able to look forward to getting older and becoming a teenager and, eventually, an adult.
The book ends on a cheerful note, showing Bug feeling hopeful about the future, while also resolving the various points of tension in his life. Having realized his true gender, Bug is better able to have meaningful friendships with Griffin and Moira while also being loved in a more genuine way by his mother. Likewise, he is finally able to make peace with the loss of his uncle, as he sees what he had been trying to tell him all along with the various messages and inexplicable actions. In the final sequence of the book, Roderick says he wishes he could do more for Bug, but is so happy that he reached this conclusion. This is a fitting end to the book, as it shows that while everything in Bug's life is not perfect, he has found a sense of belonging and purpose.
