Book Review: Something to Say by Lisa Moore Ramee

I received an ARC from Edelweiss and Balzer + Bray in exchange for my honest review.

Something to Say by Lisa Moore Ramee

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Ages: Middle Grade Fiction

Release Date: 14 July 2020

Jenae is heading into another school-year with a single goal in mind: be invisible. Her plan has served her well for a long time as she uses it as a mechanism to cope with paralyzing social anxiety. And she probably would have been successful had it not been for the arrival of a new student. Aubrey arrives and for some reason he notices her. And he seems to have a singular goal himself: befriend Jenae.

During all of this Jenae must also cope with family issues: a mother who seems detached, an absent father, an injured brother who has given up and a grandfather who seems to be having some memory issues. But she also issues at school: public speaking and protestors who are arguing over whether or not to change the school's name from honoring a racist celebrity (John Wayne) to a Latinx hero (Sylvia Mendez).

So I did really enjoy this book, but my biggest peeve was that it took me too long to feel invested in the characters. Will I buy this for my library? Undoubtedly! Will I read it again? Probably not. But, most importantly, will I recommend it to my kids? Without question. I think they will enjoy her journey as she learns to find her voice. And many kids are going to see themselves in this story.