Listen to This

This tender, easy exploration of friendship, family, and first romance hits the mark.

Some of the many characters . . . are touched upon only briefly, but we. . . understand what they're all learning: that each of them is the main character in their own life.

Middle schooler Lily shares everything with her best friends Sasha and Maddie, including her secret crushes and a love of soccer. But when Sasha and Maddie are asked to play at an elite athletic level, Lily believes she's been left behind, especially since it means that they'll miss the big school dance for a game. Meanwhile, classmate Will feels like an outsider with everyone except for his best friend Gavin, and spends his afternoons rock climbing and avoiding being a topic of conversation--or worse, a guest--on his father's successful Dr. Dad podcast. When Will and Lily become popular mean-girl Sienna's new targets, they work together to confront her. During their partnership, they each learn to manage their own troubles and grow closer as a result. Through Lily and Will's alternating POVs, Blecher (Camp Famous) spotlights each tween's unique challenges. While the familiar trope of parents being out of touch feels overworked and dialogue rings artificial at times, a plethora of school drama and secondary plots, such as Maddie's crush on another girl, add complexity to the characters' potent journey in developing self-confidence, and Will and Lily's gentle romance buoys the somewhat abrupt ending. Most major characters are coded as white. Ages 8-12. Agent: Alex Slater, Sanford J. Greenburger Assoc. (Mar.)

Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Gr 5 Up--A dual-perspective story about friendships, crushes, secrets, families, and middle school. Lily and Will are in seventh grade and are each navigating their own conflicts. Lily, part of an inseparable trio of friends, sees the other two (Maddie and Sasha) chosen for an elite soccer team, leaving her hurt, neglected, and confused. Will is a climbing nerd and loner whose only "friend" gets on his nerves, while his dad has turned his life into a parenting podcast. The first school dance is approaching, and everyone is on edge. To make matters worse, Maddie and Sasha had promised to go as a group, but will miss it due to traveling for sports. Will's childhood friend and queen bee Sienna is snooping around to gather and share everyone's secrets. Can the two main characters survive the year unscathed? This story is an authentic portrayal of the middle school years, and the conflicts tweens have to deal with on their own. Parental expectations and pressure will ring true to readers who can empathize with Lily and Will. The friendship drama will have broad appeal for most middle schoolers, who will see their own struggles in both kids' journeys.VERDICT A solid realistic fiction purchase for middle school collections.--Carol Youssif

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

This story of shifting friendships follows two seventh graders: Lily, who feels left out now that Maddie and Sasha are on an elite soccer team together; and Will, who has a crush on Lily and whose every move is fodder for his dad's podcast. . . . Misunderstandings ensue, largely because, to its credit, the novel allows friend-group dynamics to be complicated. . . . Some of the many characters . . . are touched upon only briefly, but we. . . understand what they're all learning: that each of them is the main character in their own life."— Horn Book Magazine

"s Lily and Will navigate their blossoming feelings for each other, they must also learn how to deal with a shared enemy: Sienna, the popular girl at school who might be trying to ruin their lives.. . . . Blecher's strength lies in her ability to write from a thirteen-year-old's perspective about the embarrassment of everyday life, as well as in the authentic sweetness she crafts in many of the characters' relationships. . . . Readers braving or about to brave middle school will enjoy following along . . . in this sweet and funny ode to new relationships."— Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Two seventh graders discover each other while learning that middle school changes can be a time for exciting, if sometimes awkward, growth. . . . The third-person limited narration bounces back and forth between Lily and Will. They begin a tentative friendship, texting and talking in person. Misunderstandings and missed cues are at the root of several clumsy, wonderful moments. . . . This tender, easy exploration of friendship, family, and first romance hits the mark. -  Kirkus Reviews