You know how some books just make you happy?  Once you start reading you get a grin that lasts way after you reach the end and close the pages.  This is such a book.  It’s a love story between Jewish Jamie, and Muslim Maya, but it’s also a story of a beautiful and heartwarming friendship.  

This story centers around an election that can bring bad things to minority members of our society like Jamie and Maya.  But they are going to try their hardest to not let that happen.  It will take hours of canvassing, and lots of time in Target, but these two are bound and determined to see that Rossom is the winner in the special election.

This book is very relevant for our times.  Any reader will see what is taking place in this book and correlate it to what is happening on the news and in our society today.  Jamie reminds this reader of David Hogg from Parkland who became an activist after the tragedy at his school.  Jamie finds his nerve, he finds his voice, and he finds his passion.  Maya is the girl next door who hides in the corner with her introverted tendencies, but finds something to push her out of her shell.  She makes new friends, deals with life's obstacles, and learns to confront her fears.  These are characters for a reader to fall in love with.

This is also a quick read and easily accessible for any YA reader, both younger and older.  And while it is YA, it could be placed in MG libraries, or suggested for MG readers.  It glances on many topics and has a widely diverse cast of characters.  Personally, everyone will fall in love with InstaGramm, Jamie’s social media loving grandmother, and recognize Sophie as a member of their own family.

Some may worry that the political topics may be too hard for a younger audience to understand, but the authors’ way funneling down Trumpian ideas to Mario, Bowser and Koopa Troopas, works so perfectly, that  it could become common  slang if enough people read this book, or Netflix adapts it.

If you like this book, or want to know if you might like this book consider these read-a-likes.  Anything by Albertalli (Upside of Unrequited, Simon and the Homosapien Agenda, etc.)  

or Saeend (Amal Unbound).  But also look at titles like To all the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han, and Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn.  

#BBRC

#Booked2021 - Jewish Author or ABC author

#Music - Feel Good Inc

#Popsugar - Muslim American Author.