This was a fantastic book that dealt sensitively with the topic of sexual harassment among students, something we don't talk about often enough. When the boys in Mila's seventh grade class begin physically harassing her as part of a game they're playing, she struggles to shrug it off -- her friends tell her she's silly, the boys are "just flirting" and she should feel flattered! But when the unwanted attention continues, and infiltrates every aspect of her school life, from the bus to the band room, Mila knows she needs to take some kind of action. But how can she make it stop? With friends who are more jealous than supportive, and having lost the refuge of her music (the lead harasser is also a trumpet player, and he makes the band room miserable!) Mila feels stuck. Luckily a new friend and a new pursuit - martial arts - may give Mila back her agency.

If this book were required reading in schools starting at like 5th or 6th grade, I would be so eternally happy.

The topic of harassment, especially one packaged in an age-appropriate way, being taught early on could not be a more important one these days. We've had generations of media encouraging or excusing numerous different kinds of harassment and consent-ignoring behavior and it's high time we have media dismantling that horrendous message. I cannot express my appreciation for this book's existence enough.

This is a book children need to read. Full stop.

This is a discussion that we, as parents, aunts/uncles, grandparents, teachers, and simply just as role model adults need to be having with the children in our lives. It's so important that kids are educated on these matters early. They need to know it so they can protect themselves and also so that they do not fall into the unfortunate circumstance of perpetuating problematic behavior in their own actions.

Barbara Dee has earned so much high praise from me for tackling this subject and doing it well.

This is such an important book for all kids to read. Having your boundaries being disrespected is a huge deal, and it can be hard to stand up for yourself. This is a story of a girl who is being targeted by a "game" that some boys at school are playing and putting her in increasingly uncomfortable situations. It is clear that not all characters understand the gravity of the choices they make that are hurting Mila, and the sexual harassment continues to get worse, leading Mila to have to figure out a way to stand up for herself once and for all.

Please. Read this. Share it with young people. These stories are important.

“I just mean this stuff with me is different. And I definitely wouldn’t call it regular bullying.”
“So what would you call it then?”
🤚
For 7th grader Mila it starts with an unwanted group hug on the blacktop during lunch. Then moves onto another hug, this one one-on-one, also not something Mila wants to do, but reluctantly agreed to in order to escape the band room. But it escalates: boys sitting next to her on the bus or in band, not allowing her to pass, grabbing her without consent. Her friend, Zara says they’re flirting, but it doesn’t feel like that to Mila. The boys won’t take no for an answer and Mila feels like there’s no one she can turn to for help. Soon she’s wearing baggy clothes, not walking anywhere unattended, trying to become invisible…until she finally breaks.
🤚
I read this as an ARC a few years ago, but recently realized I never wrote an official review so I did a reread and Dee’s masterpiece hit me just as hard the second time around. For so many tweens and teens we don’t really put what sexual harassment looks like into words or discuss it much at all. I went through it with bra snapping, nicknames in reference to my chest size, etc. Many women have gone through this and girls are going through it now. This book put our experiences into words and a scenario that everyone can understand and see what needs to change and why it’s not okay. I wish I could get EVERY middle grade student to read this: the boys especially. They need to learn what consent looks like and that no one’s body is yours for the taking. I recommend this one all the time and will continue to do so. This MG book will stand the test of time.

CW: sexual harassment, unwanted touching, bullying
Representation: Latina side character, gay side character

Maybe He Just Likes You is a story that needs to be read. Young girls need to know that they are not alone and that they have power. Young boys need to read it so they can see things through the eyes of a girl. This book will find its way into my classroom library.

This is such an important book for today!! This book discusses boundaries and what is okay and what is not. Everyone needs to read this!

This book is a long time coming. You usually see issues of sexual harassment for the YA sector and not for middle grade readers. But just because the literature doesn't exist doesn't mean the problem doesn't. Kudos to Barbara Dee for once again taking on a tough topic and handling it in an accessible way. It's the voice middle schooler's need and the message adults must hear.

This is an incredible must read for any student and teacher of middle grade students. Completely relatable, lovely characters and beautifully written!

This was a difficult one to get through, I had a lot of anxiety while reading, and was frustrated by how Mila's friends, classmates, and yes, even adults, responded to her: don't be so sensitive, if you don't want to play, no one is forcing you, it's called flirting, don't be such a baby, just try to ignore them.

#metoo

I was slightly less anxious when friends started saying they'd stick by her, or encouraged her to tell the administration (Omi, Max, Samira) but it was when Mila walked into karate class where I thought, YES!! things will be a lot more hopeful.

Dee is known for broaching difficult topics, and this book is one that opens the floor for discussion on consent. Highly, highly recommended.

An extremely powerful and timely book. A must-read for all! Highly recommended this book.MAYBE HE JUST LIKES YOU is the most universally important and timely book that I have read in a long, long time. It's important for my daughters. My son. My husband. My coworkers, both male and female.

What an important book in a time where we are starting to have a serious conversation about sexual harassment, but do we talk enough about it with middle graders? We should. This book is a great place to start.

Wow! A must-have for any middle school/HS library.

Barbara Dee does a great job explaining consent in the most basic way. Clean, concise and powerful topics of space realization, being comfortable and recognizing that gut feeling that not everything is okay. Restorative justice circles make their way into the end to seek resolution to a problem that many would ignore.

I received this ARC from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this was going to be preachy and clichéd, and consequently it sat waiting to be read for far too long. I couldn't have been more wrong. This book is such an important book for both boys and girls and it's perfectly pitched to the middle grade readers who need it.

Mila struggles with boys in her grade, knowing that what is happening doesn't feel like teasing or flirting, but not knowing how to put words to it or how to make it stop. I hope this book reaches an audience far and wide, as it handles such a sensitive subject so well.

A much-needed look at the devastating effects of sexual harassment in middle school. This is written at an appropriate level for younger readers while still giving full weight to the seriousness of the issue it addresses. A painful, riveting, and realistic read.

Recommended grade level: 5 and up

Genre(s) and keywords: realistic fiction, #metoo

Topics: sexual harassment, bullying, lack of support from friends and teachers, parental job loss

Themes: body autonomy, feminism, toxic masculinity, standing up for oneself, friendship, family

Who will like this book?: This is a book that speaks truth to power. Pre-teen and teen girls, and some boys, are (unfortunately) likely to see some familiar situations in this book. If they haven’t seen or experienced anything like this, it will still provide a window into how sexual harassment works and the toll it takes on those affected by it. It is vital that our young people understand this. Realistic fiction fans, and thoughtful and social justice-conscious readers, will find a lot to love in this book. With its strong characterization and enormous applicability to the lives of today’s pre-teens and teens, readers of many types will find it an eye-opening experience.

Who won’t like this book?: I think every middle schooler should read this. Some male readers may think it doesn’t relate to them–and those are people who especially should read it. It may not be everyone’s favorite genre, and that’s okay, but there is so much to be learned here that it is worth recommending even to those who are reluctant. I wouldn’t be surprised if this book ruffled some feathers among those who deny the issues of toxic masculinity and sexual harassment in our society. I say, a little ruffling is good for them.

Readalikes: Most of the titles about sexual harassment are more intense or assume an older audience than Maybe He Just Likes You, which is one of the reasons this book is so necessary. Readers delving deeper into the subject should be aware that they’re likely to come across some troubling content.

-For audiences ready to move on to more intense content, Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson is a must-read.

-Posted by John David Anderson has a similar tone, setting, and target audience, though the bullying in it is not sexual harassment. Both books have a character who is bullied because of his perceived sexual orientation.

-#MeToo: Women Speak Out Against Sexual Assault is a collection of news articles tracking the #MeToo movement. It’s intended for high schoolers, but should be a good choice for middle schoolers ready to fully tackle this topic.

-For educational reading on this topic, try the YA title What Does Consent Really Mean? by Pete Wallis.

I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great book on a VERY sensitive topic and something that absolutely should be taken away from this book, is that we should NOT be telling girls that if boys are mean to them that it means they like them. ABUSE DOES NOT EQUAL LOVE.

Girls should never be taught that bullying or being picked on equals affection. This is one of those books that should be in every library of every elementary, middle, and high school. It takes that saying “boys will be boys” and destroys it.

I loved how strong the main character was. She wasn't scared to tell her friend that bullying is NOT flirting and something has to change. I do think that the ending felt a bit rushed and it definitely could have been pulled out a lot more.

Even though it felt rushed, I felt the ending explained things in an easy to understand way that would be taken in easily by younger readers.

I hope this is one of those stories that gets passed on through the generations.

I want to thank the author for tackling such a super sensitive topic and shedding light on something that really needs to be corrected.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to review this title.

"Maybe He Just Likes You" tackles a lot in short succinct chapters and amazing grace.

This book could be a great salve for a young person on the receiving end of unwanted attention. It is also a great mother-daughter book. As Mila's mom was wrapped up in her very real and valid grown-up issues, it still made me wonder of what I may have missed with my own daughter when I've struggled with my life stuff. This book is also an excellent learning tool for all tweens about being a good friend, about being brave enough to be a good friend.

Full review at my blog.

Overall, I was impressed with how Dee gets into the mind of MG students. I love how books like this allow us to have tough conversations with our students. We need more books like this .

I decided to start reading this book before bed a few nights ago, and the next thing I knew it was midnight and I was finished. And I had shed tears. I was not expecting to have this reaction to this book. In fact, honestly, at the very beginning of the book I was feeling a tad bit skeptical. I was thinking, “Wait, is this going to be a book about a boy who squeezed a girl’s shoulder without asking?” But that’s sort of the beauty of the book. It starts off almost completely innocently—with Mila feeling a little bit uncomfortable in a relatively benign situation. The sort of situation that you could reasonably see people brushing off, including Mila herself. But then things start to spiral. The little shoulder squeeze turns into an unwanted hug, which turns into brushing up against her, and then the boys start making comments, and soon Mila realizes that many of the boys are in on some kind of game they think is funny—it’s not funny to her.

Dee does a fantastic job of showing a situation where things get out of hand without ever truly crossing into outright sexual territory(which is realistic in a middle school setting). She shows Mila’s confusion over the situation, wondering if she could be making something out of nothing, her fears about talking to someone about it, and the backlash she gets when she does speak out. All of this rang true, and it’s important for a MG audience to see. Even the fact that the boys didn’t seem to think they’d done anything truly wrong until they got in trouble feels realistic. I highly recommend this exploration of consent to MG readers and adults alike! This book will stimulate the types of conversations we need to be having.

***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***

4.5 stars. Wow. I have heard rave reviews on this one, and it lives up to the hype. The first part is downright squirmy. It's easy to get into Mila's perspective as she feels repelled by what the boys are doing, but also as she second guesses herself. Is she overreacting? Does she just need a better sense of humor? She doesn't even have language to describe what is happening to her and how it makes her feel, which for me was one of the saddest parts of the story.

I love that she finds some strength through martial arts training. It's not the fighting, but the ideas of taking up space, asserting her right to her boundaries, and using body language as well as her words to push back.

By the end, when everything comes out, and Mila and her school and friends are dealing with the issue, I kept tearing up. I was so proud of Mila, pleased to see some adults stand with her while she claimed her truth and her right to go to school without harassment. I think this is an important book to have in homes and schools and libraries. Kids need this to acquire that language to describe when harassment occurs. They need to see what sorts of behavior is inappropriate and how to metaphorically push back. This would be an excellent read aloud or book group choice. I found this completely age appropriate for upper elementary and middle school students. This would pair well with Moxie for older teens. Highly recommend!

As with Barbara Dee's other works, timely, important, and well done. The situations the characters are placed in will feel familiar to middle grade readers and serve as a good jumping off point for conversations both in schools and at home.