I’ve been a fan of Phoebe’s picture books and art for awhile, so when I found out that she was venturing into YA (in the form of a personal journal, nonetheless) I was PUMPED. This book did not disappoint; in fact, my expectations were surpassed. Phoebe’s experiences growing up were all too similar to mine- shame about my body and what I was and wasn’t supposed to be curious about– and I think this story tackles all of the highs and lows of adolescence in a magically sincere way. It brought a lot of emotions to the surface, which I think is an important trait of a successful piece of writing, especially those aimed at teens. I laughed, I cried, I rediscovered a ton of GREAT early 00’s music. I can’t recommend this book enough.

I really loved this!

I'm 2-3 years younger than Phoebe Wahl, so all of the references and outfits and music were SO spot on for me. She was a cooler kid in a cooler town, but it still really hit perfectly and brought back a lot of my own memories of the same 2006-2009 era. I laughed out loud a lot, mostly because I saw so much of myself in Phoebe's self-seriousness, but also because it's just a sweet, funny book with a real richness to it.

I'm really curious about how actual teen readers will feel about it, though. To me, it's successful as the work of an adult looking back on adolescence and less as a here-and-now text for actual adolescents. I think a lot of people around my age will adore it, but I don't know if it'll get as much play with a younger audience.

I think a lot of my young adult patrons will enjoy this book. They will be able to relate to Phoebe in a way that some others don't. I would recommend this book to my library for circulation.