I knew that this was stylized similarly to [b:George|40948486|George|Alex Gino|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1532559186l/40948486._SX50_.jpg|44165520] but I didn't realize it was kind of a sequel, or like, in the George-iverse, anyway. I haven't read George (I know I heard it's great but I just haven't yet jeez there are a lot of books), but I grabbed this off the new books shelf. I could tell at least some of the places where it was alluding to the events of George, but it works just fine as a standalone. It reminded me of [b:A Good Kind of Trouble|38251243|A Good Kind of Trouble|Lisa Moore Ramee|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1529118640l/38251243._SY75_.jpg|59931991] in that it's very good at organically working big conversations about gender and sexuality into the story, in a realistic way that kids and adults might have these conversations and in a way that double as being informative and affirming for the reader without being too didactic. (In A Good Kind of Trouble the conversations are about racism and Black Lives Matter but it's a similar skill level of writing imo.)

I also LOVED that

Spoiler

This didn't end with them realizing that the bully is just a bully because his parents are mean and them befriending him again. Like there are defo hints that Jeff's parents, his dad especially, are not the best and that contributes to his behavior, but they don't let him off the hook for it. Like I think it is important to model empathy but also soo many books, esp middle grade, have this kind of bully-befriending ending and I just don't think it's always a realistic or safe thing to expect! Maybe like by junior high Jeff can get his shit together but for now he needs a time out IMO!