This is the first middle grade book I've read with an asexual main character! I love to see it. We need more of that rep in this genre and YA. There were also other queer characters. I loved Lizzie's story and think many queer kids will find solace in it. There was also a funny part towards the end that shows you're not as alone as you think. This also had an important message for young girls about learning self-defense and empathy for others.

Nice read, I liked the themes and appreciated the general message. It will be especially valuable to younger readers. I can recommend this for sure.

I really liked this and will definitely recommend it! I think Lizzie was a great character who will make a lot of kids feel seen, and I liked how Wilfrid really doesn't talk down to kids in her writing.

Lizzie is an eighth grade girl who is dealing with changing friendships, annoying boys, and a traumatic event that happened to her family. Because of this encounter, the family moved to another neighborhood in town. Her older brother is leaving for college and her childhood friend has been drifting more to the “popular” crowd. On top of this, Lizzie feels disconnected to the conversations of peers revolving around crushes. When a science project introduces her to other sexualities, she begins exploring what that might mean for her. There is a strong theme of change happening in the external plot of this book as people and circumstances around her seem to be changing, making her feel alone.

This is a book that is going to help a lot of people, whether they are the same age as Lizzie or discovering their sexuality at a later part in life. Asexuality is such a broad topic and identity that can encompass many different things. The author notes in the back of the book that she wasn’t able to provide all the information she would’ve liked to, but encouraged doing more research. But I think Wilfrid did do a good job of introducing some misconceptions that people have about asexuality like that asexual people can’t have partners.

She talked about everything in very age-appropriate ways, in language that middle school
kids use. I appreciated that she also talked about sex and periods in a very straightforward way. Many middle grade books don’t cover those topics. But they are things that many kids that age are thinking about. Wilfrid shows healthy ways of discussing it, like with parents, older siblings, and other trusted adults.

Most of all, I liked the way that the author encourages readers that it is okay to not have all the answers or labels. Self discovery is an ongoing process that can change and grow over time. Lizzie is anxious during a lot of this book about “what” she is and if she’s “normal” enough. But we end with her in a really healthy place of acceptance and realizing the interconnectedness of her own life, whether or not she feels romantic or sexual feelings. She is not alone.

(Thank you to the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.)

Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books, Clarion Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book! I identify as an aroace lesbian, so to read a book about a young teen discovering their asexuality meant a lot to me. There were a lot of similarities I could identify with-- parents who were not very physically affectionate and they thought that might be why, being uncomfortable as a kid when I saw people kiss, uncertainty of how to help my friends in relationships/understanding how to care about it, and reactions when I came out.

Lizzie is . . . well, as the book says, she's just Lizzie. She's a kid, with some trauma from witnessing a break-in, taking self-defense classes, and struggling with her friendships and where to be. I really enjoyed this book, and will be recommending this to my students.

Okay so Just Lizzie is an absolutely adorable middle grade about 8th grader Lizzie and her self-discovery of learning about asexuality.

Lizzie's family just had to move after they had a bad experience at their past house. Her older brother just moved to college and her parents are a little bit distant. Her best friend just got her first boyfriend and everyone always wants to know who she has a crush on. But the thing is, is that Lizzie doesn't have a crush on anyone and she's tired of feeling like there's something wrong with her.

For their 8th grade science class they have to do this big project and when Lizzie learns about asexual reproduction in plants she starts to think that maybe she could do her project on that and does more research into whether or not people can be asexual.

I cried quite a few times while reading this. Just slow tears while I was sitting there reading the story. Nothing dramatic or sobby but just quiet tears of understanding and empathy for Lizzie's situation.

Lizzie tries to tell people and the adults in her life are not super supportive or understanding. They just don't get it and I think we underestimate how harmful that can be even though it isn't outright hatred or violence. Hearing someone tell you that you're wrong or that it doesn't exist or how you feel isn't valid is incredibly hurtful especially at such a young age when you're just figuring things out.

I think one of my favorite parts of the story was Lizzie figuring out who her community was. People who she thought she could count on didn't always have the best responses and people that she never would have expected had her back. I loved seeing her really stand up for herself and her identity as the book went on and feel more confident in not only understanding asexuality but claiming it.

This book doesn't come out until November but I'm going to be hyping it up hard all year. It's a very important middle grade and one that I wish I had had as an asexual kid. Granted I didn't know that I was asexual at the time but maybe it would have helped me sort some things out.

I do wish the book had gone a little bit more into detail about the differences between asexuality and aromanticism. It's mentioned in the author's note but I think it's especially important to make that distinction especially when Lizzie learning about asexuality was such a big part of the story. It is mentioned maybe two or three times that there might be a difference between sexual attraction and romantic attraction in middle school terms but it isn't discussed the same way that asexuality is. And like I get that the author is asexual and not aromantic but I think for a lot of the story it felt like Lizzie could be aromantic and I think that just got a little bit left out.

White midsize asexual MC

I really enjoyed reading this, it had what I was hoping for and I wished that this book had come out when I was a teen. The characters had a great feel to them and I was invested in the cast of characters. Karen Wilfrid does a great job in telling the story and did everything that I was looking for. I'm excited to read more from Karen Wilfrid as I really enjoyed reading this.

"Does that mean you’re a grown-up?” Sabrina asks. I’m trying to figure out how to answer as Carly crosses to the sliding glass doors that look into the house. Through them, she can see the screen door I came through. “Never mind,” she says. “It’s just some guy.”

A beautifully written story with an important message and topic, perfect for young kids finding themselves. Lovely characters and story building.