Don't Judge Me

September 15, 2020
Sometimes sticking your neck out is the only way to move forward. Twelve-year-old Hazel misses the comfort of fifth grade when clothes didn't matter, looks didn't matter, and the boys weren't such huge jerks. Fortunately, she still has her best friend, Tori, who understands why this year is the worst. The school dress code shames girls, two boys deliberately trip Tori and Hazel every day, and Tori's brother, 13-year-old Ben, no longer wants to hang out with them. Hazel is resigned to spending the rest of sixth grade eating lunch in the library, writing haiku, and looking after Pip, the tortoise she found, until she stumbles across a journal. Some of the boys are rating the girls' attractiveness and leaving awful comments about the ones they don't like. Her new friend, Dion, is also being bullied by other boys. Hazel knows she must do something, but what? Hazel's journey to finding her voice is brimming with lessons on toxic masculinity, sexism, bullying, and how students can work together to make change. The anxiety of transitioning to middle school and Hazel's insecurities about her changing body are equally relatable. Schroeder's slight nods to racism and homophobia are a bit anemic but do not detract from the overall theme. Hazel's actions may inspire readers to stand up for what's right. Characters follow a White default; Dion is cued as Black. Tori has two lesbian moms. An empowering read. (Fiction. 10-13)

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October 19, 2020
Offering a strong message about toxic masculinity, this heartfelt contemporary novel set in small-town Oregon begins when two best friends—shy, body-conscious Hazel and outspoken, confident Tori—learn in the first days of class that their middle school has a “jerk problem.” The strict dress code targets girls; two boys who trip them in the halls each day receive no punishment; and new student Dion, who “liked poetry and cried because his feelings were hurt,” is bullied. When tortoise-lover Hazel discovers a notebook in which boys rank female classmates’ looks and leave degrading comments, she doesn’t want to dismiss the problem by retreating into her shell. Determined to speak out, Hazel hosts a “girl power” party and gains support for creating a safe learning environment, eventually finding the courage to confront their intimidating male principal. Using a first-person narrative, Schroeder (See You on a Starry Night) eloquently traces Hazel’s metamorphosis from fearful onlooker to brave activist, while highlighting lessons she learns along the way. Ages 8–12. Agent: Sara Crowe, Pippin Properties.