Books are a gateway into different stories. One trend in books, especially YA books, recently is modeling diversity. An author at ReadUp Greenville put it best…in the past, author’s writing YA books were writing about when they were young, basing their stories on their own personal experiences. Now the YA genre has expanded greatly, and stories have infinite possibilities. You can read about fantasy time traveling stories or creepy monsters or just everyday personal conflicts. Allowing students the ability to see themselves in books is a great encourager, especially as a teacher who sees many kids who are reluctant about reading. I always try to find books that not only their interested in, but also ones they can learn something from, and What If It’s Us would fit this criteria (one of the co-authors, Becky Albertelli, also wrote Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda and Leah on the Off Beat and The Upside of Unrequited).
The story is set in New York City, where Arthur Seuss is living this summer while interning at his mother’s law firm. Originally from Georgia, he feels out of place, without any friends, and lonely…until he randomly meets a guy at the post office. He feels they had a connection, but without a name, phone number, or social media handle, he’s at a loss at what to do next. With some help from his friends—and the universe—he realizes that some people are meant to be in your life.
This YA rom-com does feature a boy-boy romance, but it’s more than that. It shows that no relationship is perfect—with friends or significant others—and hiding your true self is exhausting and emotionally complicated. Both the main characters admit their faults. They are honest with each other when one makes a mistake. They fight with their friends and learn how to apologize. Overall, it’s a very good lesson on friendships and how to maintain them when dynamics change.
As with my YA books, parents may want to read up on the content before blindly handing it over. There is lots of cursing, some underage drinking references, and some romantic encounters. This book, in my opinion, is definitely more of a high school book but still has merit nonetheless.
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