You Go First

Charlotte lives in Philadelphia and spends her lunchtimes alone, focused on her online Scrabble games. An incident at school involving her former best friend has left her feeling isolated, while at home she's dealing with her father's recent heart attack. Ben lives in Louisiana and faces his own social challenges at school, where he struggles to find his place. He runs for student council president despite being an unlikely candidate, while also coping with his parents' divorce. Charlotte and Ben's paths cross through their online Scrabble connection, though they've never met in person. Over the course of one week, they each navigate significant changes in their lives while finding comfort in their long-distance friendship. The story explores the complexities of middle school relationships and how connection can emerge in unexpected ways. Through parallel narratives, it examines themes of belonging, change, and the courage to be oneself during the turbulent years of early adolescence.

Readers found the book relatable for its portrayal of middle school isolation, anxiety, and friendship struggles. Many connected with the characters' challenges around parental illness, bullying, and finding their place. Positives: - Authentic depiction of online friendships and gaming - Strong character development of both protagonists - Clear portrayal of anxiety and social pressures - References to science, word games, and trivia appealed to young readers Negatives: - Some found the dual narratives confusing or disconnected - Pacing felt slow in the middle sections - Resolution came too quickly for some readers - Few wanted more interaction between the main characters Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (2,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (120+ ratings) Common Sense Media: 4/5 "A quiet but impactful story about finding your people," noted one Goodreads reviewer. Another Amazon reader mentioned: "The anxiety representation hit close to home for my middle schooler."

Posted by John David Anderson A story of middle school students who navigate friendship, bullying, and identity through an anonymous social media platform.

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The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin After her best friend's death, a seventh-grade science enthusiast processes her grief through research about jellyfish and the nature of life.

Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly Four middle school students' lives intersect when one becomes trapped in a well, leading to unexpected friendships and self-discovery.

See You in the Cosmos by Jack Cheng An eleven-year-old space enthusiast travels across the country with his dog to launch his iPod into space while uncovering family truths.

🏆 Author Erin Entrada Kelly won the 2018 Newbery Medal for her book "Hello, Universe" - one year before publishing "You Go First" 🎮 The book features online Scrabble as a key element, connecting the two main characters who live hundreds of miles apart and have never met in person 🌟 The story alternates between two perspectives over the course of one week, following both Charlotte and Ben as they navigate significant changes in their lives 🔬 Charlotte's fascination with science, particularly her love of arachnids, was inspired by Kelly's own childhood interest in spiders and nature 📚 The novel tackles themes of bullying, friendship, and family upheaval while weaving in elements of STEM, poetry, and politics - subjects that rarely appear together in middle-grade fiction