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Two seventh graders discover each other while learning that middle school changes can be a time for exciting, if sometimes awkward, growth.

Lily is used to doing everything with besties Maddie and Sasha, but after they make the elite soccer team and she doesn’t, she soon has time on her hands. Popular Sienna is at a turning point, too, and she takes an interest in Lily. Specifically, Sienna wants to set Lily up with her childhood friend Will. Problem is, Sienna wants to dictate Lily’s every move. For his part, Will is definitely interested in Lily, but he doesn’t want bossy Sienna involved, afraid she’ll gossip to the entire student body. It’s already bad enough that Will’s widowed dad puts his son’s every move and mood under the microscope during his Dr. Dad podcasts! The third-person limited narration bounces back and forth between Lily and Will. They begin a tentative friendship, texting and talking in person. Misunderstandings and missed cues are at the root of several clumsy, wonderful moments. As they support each other and learn from others in their lives, the tweens gradually claim their own voices and gain autonomy. This growth enables them to be better friends to others among the well-developed cast, encouraging them to speak up, too. Characters read white.

This tender, easy exploration of friendship, family, and first romance hits the mark.