I devoured this middle grade … I particularly liked how it dealt with how even if you know someone is friendly with queer sexualities, you can’t assume they’re okay with trans identities, and how that impacts having a crush. The academic anxiety and its impacts really snuck up on me as I was reading, as someone who dealt with that and also has a skin-picking problem! There was a bit in the middle that felt very "Judiaism 101" but later it blended that better with the characters.

This book is about Shai a nonbinary genderfluid homeschooler who goes to public school for the first time, she soon meets 2 girls she becomes friends with them, she soon starts to learn about her jewish heritage, which i personally loved as i don't know any jewish people in real life and its fascinating to learn about other cultures

I enjoyed this book, it wasn't a "oh my god this was the best book ever" but it was good, i couldn't put it down after starting to read

Another win for A.J. Sass!

Shai is a genderqueer pansexual middle schooler about to go to public school for the first time. They aren't prepared for just how stressful public school would be and end up getting a bit buried in the workload of actual school work and building friendships along with getting used to not having the comfort and breaks of homeschool.

Shai also has OCD. They don't know exactly what to do about it or the exact terminology yet but they do know they struggle with picking and have developed a plan to fix it all.

This one is gonna make you cry. It tackles all sorts of topics including being queer and genderqueer as well as Jewish and having mental illness. It deals with friendships, new and old, and relationships with parents and grandparents. I would definitely classify this as a wholesome read but don't think that it's gonna leave you without shedding some tears.

My one thing is that I wish it was just a bit longer. Like a little more exploration with their mom and best friends at the end would've shoved it up to 5 star status for me.

I love a lot about this book - Shy's fear and shame around skin piking; their determination to fix it on their own; their awkwardness in new situations and their default response of inaction which compounds over time; how circumstance changes their friendships no matter how desperate they are to keep things the same; and how all of thees things are normal, reasonable responses. We also see the real struggles of two single parent families trying to do their best for their kids but missing when their struggling. We also get the nuance of cultural and religious identity. While it won't be relatable for everyone, it's a solid read.

I loved "Ellen Outside the Lines" by A.J. Sass and this one didn't disappoint either.
I loved Shai and all the challenges they are going through, but how they face them head on and figure out where they belong.
I liked the look at mental health and how it is dealt with and shown through a very real perspective.
This is a great book for young adults, but also should be read by adults to help understand what a teen might be feeling when dealing with new and big emotions and changes like these.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book.

A MG book by @matokah that deals with lgbtq identity, change, Jewish heritage, new friends and mental health.
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Shai is leaving homeschool to head to public school. They have recently come out to their best friend, mom and grandparents about them being #nonbinary and #genderfluid so adding school to that is a bit overwhelming. When they meet with the principal they find out they won’t be starting 8th grade—they’re skipping to ninth! Shai also worries about their mom’s lack of a job, things changing between them and their best friend they live with, two new besties who don’t know they’re nonbinary, dealing with a picking their arms issue in secret since the pandemic, struggling to keep up at their new school and worrying about crushing on a new friend. It’s a lot for a thirteen year old to take! When they start researching their Jewish heritage, local antisemitism hate crimes also begin making the news. Shai wonders if this is all too much too soon.
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This novel was so great. I believe it can make such a difference to kids struggling with their identity both with LGBTQIA+, religion, and socially. It hits a lot of topics students are dealing with and love that the author drew so much from their own life for this title. This one is out now!

CW: self-harm, mental illness, antisemitism, dysphoria, hate crime, vandalism, homophobia/transphobia (discussed), coming out themes

This had a lot of issues to dive into, which might overwhelm some readers. 4.25 ⭐️

AJ Sass has continuously given me the queer Jewish books I needed as a preteen/teenager. It took me a bit to catch the play on words in the title “Just /Shai/ of Ordinary” but it was clever and cute.

Shai and Edie’s friendship and crush was also very cute and I’m glad that Shai was understanding of Edie’s situation about coming out and there was no pressure from anyone.

I think the only aspect that was a bit odd was the allusions to COVID. There were small moments that referenced the pandemic but never by name and with the idea that COVID is over. It just felt weird to include without acknowledging the continued impact of it.

Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!

Just Shy of Ordinary by A.J. Sass
Expected publication date: January 30, 2024

Date read: January 14, 2024



Thirteen-year-old Shai is an expert problem-solver. There’s never been something they couldn’t research and figure out on their own. But there’s one thing Shai hasn’t been able to logic their way through: picking at the hair on their arms. Ever since their mom lost her job, the two had to move in with family friends, and the world went into pandemic lockdown, Shai’s been unable to control their picking. Now, as the difficult times recede, Shai’s hoping the stress that caused their picking will end, too. After reading that a routine can reduce anxiety, Shai makes a plan to create a brand-new normal for themself that includes going to public school. But when their academic evaluation places them into 9th grade instead of 8th, it sets off a chain of events that veer off the path Shai had prepared for, encouraging Shai to learn how to accept life's twists and turns, especially when you can't plan for them.

There was a lot that I liked about this book. Shai was a great character. I could see a lot of people seeing something of themselves in this character, especially after the difficulties of remote schooling. Shai's issues with transitioning from home school to middle school seemed very real and relatable. There was also the dilemma that this character had with trying to come out to their friends and classmates as nonbinary, which is another trait that many readers may empathize with. In addition, Shai was also dealing with a lot of undiagnosed anxiety as well as trying to figure out how they fit into their family's religious background.

My one complaint about this book is that at times it seemed like there was just too much going on. One of these issues would have been enough to write an excellent middle grade book on. Starting at a new school. Coming out as nonbinary. Antisemitism. Anxiety and OCD. Fitting them all into one book... at times it just seemed like a lot.

That being said, I do think that the author did a good job of tackling these issues in a way that will be both interesting and understandable for a middle grade audience. Shai is an excellent character to present these issues to this audience, and their thoughts and feelings about what they were going through were very clear and well-presented. As an adult, I often felt a lot of stress and anxiety waiting to see how their story would play out and if they would get the help that they needed, but I don't think that it would be too stressful for the intended audience. I also like that not every issue was wrapped up in a clean little bow at the end, but everything was addressed in a realistic way. Anxiety cannot be "fixed" in a day, but knowing that it was being addressed in a proper way in the end was reassuring, and I think that Shai's inner thoughts as they were dealing with it will be good for this age group to see.

I didn't love Shai's mother in this story, and her reservations about Shai's research into Judaism was really the one storyline that I took issue with. I can understand (kind of) why she was hesitant about Shai getting too involved, but the cold, preachy tone that she often took with Shai about it was really off-putting. But that's really the only part of the story that bothered me.

Overall, I thought that this was an excellent book for middle grade readers that deals with a whole host of issues that kids at this age might be suffering with in silence, and books like this are great to show that they are not alone. Shai is a relatable character that I think readers will really like. This is definitely a book that I would recommend to middle grade readers and their parents.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Content warning: pandemic, self-harm (Shai picks the hairs off her arms when she's anxious, resulting in painful, blotchy skin), homophobic slurs, misgendering, queerphobia, hate crimes, antisemitism, accidental forced outing of a gay character

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

Just Shy of Ordinary is well written and an excellent depiction of a young teen learning to be themselves in a wider world. Shai is a well developed character as are the friends and family around them. I appreciated several very specific things that ring true. Shai is very clear that while their anxiety symptoms developed at the same time they came out to family as genderfluid, the anxiety was not caused by their identity; something it might be important for readers to hear. The author was also wise to include the fact that knowing one of their friends is a lesbian, and the other's parents are gay, did not necessarily make their coming out as genderfluid easier. Lastly, it was nice to read a novel that acknowledes the stress and fear of coming out, while also making the experience feel mostly positive, and overall a pretty normal experience for a young teen. It's possible the mostly accepting reactions by all the adults in the story might be a bit unrealistic, I feel like its not unlikely, and young readers can benefit from reading it.

Just Shy of Ordinary by A.J. Sass
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

In the world of diverse, Middle Grade lit, A.J. Sass is a star! I was introduced to his books over the summer with Ellen Outside the Lines and now that I have had the pleasure of reading an advance copy of Just Shy of Ordinary, Sass has become a must read author for me.
Just Shy of Ordinary centers around Shai Stern, a nonbinary teen who lives in Wisconsin with their mom, mom’s best friend, and his two sons, Moose and Thomas. Shai’s mom has homeschooled the three kids up until this year and Shai has decided to take this chance to start a “new normal” and go to public school. Once Shai starts public school, they see the pros and cons of this new setting. Should Shai hide their identity from their new friends? Why is their friend Moose now acting so distant? And how will they ever get all their homework done?
Just like in Ellen Outside the Lines, A.J. Sass deals with serious mental health topics like anxiety with grace and humor. I loved this book and hope teens and preteens get to be introduced to these characters! They might just find that they have a lot in common.

My review:

Thank you to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for letting me read an ARC of this book through NetGalley!

Just Shy of Ordinary
Overall Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ .5 (4.5/5) or 9.00/10 overall

Characters - 9
The characters in this book were amazing. Each of them had their own unique personality and many had personal growth along the way.

Atmosphere - 9
The atmosphere was pleasant and relatively peaceful. While there were a few touches on deeper topics, there was still a hopeful ending.

Writing - 9
A. J. Sass's writing style always leaves me thoroughly engaged in their books. He has enough description to picture the environment and characters, but also enough action to keep the story moving.

Plot - 8
I enjoyed the overall plot of this story. It had its fair share of unique experiences combined with everyday moments that helped to make it more relatable. The only thing that curbed my enjoyment in terms of the plot was the ending. It was heartfelt, but it left some threads of the story still unsolved that I would've liked to have seen play out. Maybe a sequel would clear up the final plot points? 👀

Intrigue - 9
I was intrigued from the start by this book. I loved Ana on the Edge, Ellen Outside the Lines, and Camp Quiltbag, so I knew I had to read this as soon as I heard about it.

Logic - 9
I liked that the problems in this book were solved realistically and the overarching idea of "it is ok to reach out for help from others" really resonated with me.

Enjoyment - 10
I enjoyed this book from start to finish. I would totally recommend it to anyone who asks me what I thought, especially if they struggle with anxiety.

My review was posted on 1/22/24 to Goodreads. Here is the link: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5479666110

This book is just what older middle grade readers need! Shai loves to research and learn about new things. They also keep a journal of poetry, recording their thoughts and feelings. When Shai starts public school for the first time in order to have more structure and, hopefully, cure their trichotillomania, the anxiety revs up because they'll be in the 9th, not the 8th grade like they thought! Shai begins to struggle with balancing homework, old and new friends, researching Judaism, and talking to their mom about some important worries - things they have never had to deal with before. While there are several heavy topics in this novel, Sass handles them deftly without sounding too preachy. There is plenty of factual explantion for readers unfamiliar with topics like non-binary, anxiety, and anti-semitism. These facts could disturb the flow, but instead they stay true to Shai who loves research and shares many facts throughout the novel. While the topics are heavy, the relationships and dialogue amongst the characters lightens it and helps it feel managable. The characters are so relatable. What makes it perfect for older middle grade readers? Shai's age and grade , 13 and 9th grade, are underrepresented in middle grade books. Many of them are about younger characters that my 7th and 8th graders don't think they can relate to. This one hits the sweet spot with topics the older kids want to read about and writing that is more middle grade.

This book managed to introduce and discuss quite a few topics while still feeling authentic which isnt always easy, especially while also being approachable to a younger audience. There were a few moments that felt a bit off, but it didn't take away from the reading experience even as an adult.

(I will say since it got brought up multiple times (and this has no barring on my review it just stuck out to me), I turned 13 about a week before starting 9th grade without skipping, and I didn't know any 15 year Olds in my grade so I'm not sure where the disconnect in that timeline happened)

As an adult who also struggled with anxiety and perfectionism in high school, I felt like Shai's struggles are super-relatable. I loved all the secondary characters, from friends to teachers to grandparents -- what a wonderful world A.J. has built with this book!

I think it's very impressive that Just Shy of Ordinary was able to touch on/introduce so many topics while telling a very heartfelt story. I also loved that homeschooling was talked about so positively and know that my kids will enjoy this one.

This is the first title I’ve read by A.J. Sass! I loved the concept and as a librarian serving many queer and questioning tweens and teens I’m eager for great stories that represent their experiences. I can see this title appealing to my students. While for me, Shai’s interior emotional life/narration felt a bit flat, the wide array of supporting characters-from artistic BFF Moose, to kind and open grandparents, to new friend Nia and budding romance Edie make Shai’s world bright and believable.

A.J. Sass does a wonderful job of telling the story of a nonbinary teen with anxiety. When their mom lost her job and they had to move in with a family friend, Shai began pick at their arm skin to calm their anxiety. They develop a plan to stop their picking by starting at public school after years of homeschooling. While at their new school, they are worried about coming out to their new friends as nonbinary, despite the fact that one is gay and the other has two dads. It was a bit confusing to me that Shai had no worries about coming out to them as pan but had so much worry about coming out as nonbinary. Shai has added worries about picking a topic for an English assignment and learning more about their Jewish heritage from their grandparents, as well as a crush on a new friend and a tension with their BFF Moose. The end of the COVID epidemic was also mentioned in the book but seemed an unnecessary detail since it did not really impact the plot and would date the book for future readers. The conflicts were resolved well and in realistic manners.

This was a beautifully done novel about a nonbinary child, I enjoyed how well they were written and felt like a real kid. The plot worked with everything that I was looking for from this type of book. I think this is a great concept for younger audience and it was written well. I can’t wait to read more from A. J. Sass.

Shai is a total sweetie pie of a kid who decided their life needs a big change. Or, rather, fewer changes: what Shai needs is a 'new normal.' It's been a pretty wild year! They came out to their close friends and family as genderfluid and pansexual, their mom lost her job, they moved into their best friend's family's house while their mom worked on entering a new career, and also there was a global pandemic. And Shai might've started picking at the skin on their arms as an outlet for their anxiety, which they know isn't great, but... So, Shai is making moves: they're starting seventh grade at the public middle school (when they've been homeschooled up until now), they're wearing cute arm warmers until they get the picking under control, they're reconnecting with their Jewish heritage, and they're definitely going to come out publicly to all their new friends. Easy peasey!

Things, of course, do not go so smoothly, and Shai's intense anxiety gets the better of them time and again. Sass does such a wonderful job of portraying what anxiety can look like in kids, and my heart ached for sweet Shai, who has an incredible support system and so much self worth and still falls prey to the neverending worries in their mind. I loved Shai's exploration of what it might mean to reclaim their Jewish identity (and their anxiety at whether or not that's something available to them at all). Their relationships with their mom and grandparents, bestie Moose, and new friends Nia & Edie are so beautifully developed. This is just a fantastic realist novel about a smart kid working their hardest to figure out how to move through the world. A great read for all ages!

It’s Shai’s first day of public school and they wants to create a new normal because they recently came out and loves it that their mom and grandparents use they and them. Shai’s best friend Moose makes them sleeves to cover their arms because they pick at them when they get stressed. When school starts, Shai meets Nia and Edie, and they find out Edie is a lesbian. Their English teacher assigns a Visions in Pride project and Shai decides to do it on their Jewish heritage. Shai feels they are hiding part of their identity to Nia and Edie, and they wants to tell Edie because they have feelings for Edie. Do they have the courage to tell Edie how they feel? What does Shai find out about their Jewish heritage? When Shai’s mom finds out about their arms what happens?