Hazel Hill Is Gonna Win This One

The portrayal of the girls' concerns is also remarkably realistic, from their own reactions and considerations about when to speak up or remain silent to the varied and sometimes-disappointing responses of their parents and teachers.

The themes of online bullying and unwanted attention will resonate, unfortunately, with many middle-graders, and if Hazel's brave choices can inspire more acts of bravery, all the better. 

As inadvertent confidante to oversharer Tyler Harris, 12-year-old narrator Hazel Hill knows all about the hassle of friendships: "Someone is always mad at someone, or hiding something from someone, or pretending not to care when they do." So instead of bonding with other students, she focuses on an upcoming speech contest. But something shifts when Tyler shares another secret: his ex Ella Quinn, who's also Hazel's biggest speech competitor, is interested in Hazel. When Hazel, who likes girls, speaks with Ella, another truth comes to the fore: Ella lied about the crush to get Tyler to stop viciously harassing her online. Hazel's knowledge of Tyler soon corroborates Ella's claim, but when Hazel unites with Ella and her best friend to report Tyler's actions, none of the adults they approach will listen. Instead, the girls realize they must take action to expose the truth. Via Hazel's funny, self-aware voice and a fully rendered secondary cast, Horne's debut realistically limns the seventh graders' plight--including the very real fear of shaming and retaliation--alongside Hazel's organic arc toward friendship and empowerment. Characters default to white. Ages 8-12. Agent: Claire Friedman, Inkwell Management. (Oct.)

Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Gr 5-8--What would you do if you were being sexually harassed online in seventh grade? What would you do if adults didn't believe you, or even blamed you for it? Well, Hazel Hill is going to take matters into her own hands and is determined to not let Tyler get away with his disgusting behavior. Tyler used to talk at Hazel all the time about girls he liked--but when he tells Hazel that her archnemesis Ella Quinn has a crush on her, she realizes how manipulative he can be. Hazel decides to talk to Ella about it (which kind of freaks Hazel out, as she hasn't told anyone she's gay yet), and Ella confides that Tyler has been sexually harassing her online. When they band together with Ella's best friend Riley, they quickly discover that the odds are against them--not only are they not believed by adults, but Ella is victim-blamed for the messages, most of the other girls he's harassing don't want to come forward, and Hazel keeps getting detention. Finally, in the biggest mic drop possible, the girls receive the start of what could be justice. Horne does a wonderful job of keeping the characters true to age while dealing with the realities of online sexual harassment. VERDICT This topical novel is a must-read for tweens and their parents; a recommended first purchase for middle school collections.--Kerri L. Williams

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.