Starting Middle School is rough for Autumn: her one and only BFF has moved to California, her father abruptly joined the Peace Corps and left for Ecuador, and she, her mom, and her sister have had to move from a house to an apartment above her mom's vet clinic. Uncertain and anxious, Autumn struggles to connect with her new classmates. The two potential friends she meets could not be more different: bold Logan who has big ideas and quiet Cooper who's a bit mysterious. But Autumn has a dilemma: what do you do when the new friends you make don't like each other?
When Autumn is picked to be the secret voice of the Dear Student letters in the Hillview newspaper, she finds herself smack in the middle of a problem with Logan and Cooper on opposite sides. And she's not sure she can she give fair advice to everyone, including her friends, while keeping her identity a secret. Before Autumn can figure out what to do, her secret identity as Dear Student is threatened — and then she learns a local cosmetics company tests its products on animals. Now, it's time for Autumn to follow her heart — and find her voice. This heartfelt middle grade novel starring a girl who's more capable than she believes is a reminder that it's always worth standing up for what you believe.
"It’s apparent early on that sensitive Autumn is far more competent than she gives herself credit for, and even as Swartz (Give and Take) gracefully builds further incident into the protagonist’s life — giving advice while retaining anonymity, navigating social anxiety and battling friends, finding a way forward when she discovers a local cosmetics company tests on animals — there’s little doubt that she’ll end the book in a good place, one that celebrates her newfound faith in others and herself." — Publishers Weekly
Recommended Age | 10 - 13 |
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Author | Elly Swartz |
ISBN | 0593374126 |
Publication Date | Feb 15, 2022 |
Publisher | Delacorte Press |
Language | English |