Jess Callan's did a remarkable job making me as the reader feel like I was in Ollie's head with overwhelming scattered emotions. The way in which Ollie talks through queerness and gender from a young adult perspective felt incredibly real and relatable. So well done all around.

When I first started reading Ollie in Between, it felt like I was eavesdropping on a tween's scattered, internal thoughts. It was a little messy and, at times, hard to follow, but the more I read, the more I was completely drawn in by Ollie's raw honesty. Not since Judy Blume's Margaret has an author so perfectly captured the inner workings of a young mind navigating the complex world of middle school.

Meet Ollie, a twelve-year-old living with their dad and older sister, Lila, after the death of their mom. Ollie finds solace and a way to connect with their mother by sharing their deepest thoughts with a special tree, much like how Margaret had her diary. But middle school brings new challenges, and even Ollie's two best friends are struggling to understand what's going on with them.

In their stream of consciousness, Ollie reveals an inquisitive, curious mind with a deep knowledge of nature, especially mushrooms and fungi. Ollie's reflection that "fungi are way cool, too" is a powerful moment, showing that while some people may "bloom," others have their own unique, beautiful way of growing. Once I adjusted to the book's rhythm, I fell completely in love with Ollie and their journey.

Ollie's story is a powerful exploration of a child questioning their gender and finding themselves. From the awkwardness of receiving a dress they don't want to the struggles with daily life, readers, especially those who may be on a similar journey of self-discovery, will find a friend in Ollie.

Ollie in Between is a book that needed to be written and deserves to be read by every tween and teen. It provides a compassionate look into the challenges of questioning one's identity, offering understanding to some and a sense of belonging to others.

A solid 4.5 stars for Jess Callans' amazing Ollie!

This book was so cute. I loved how the author made us feel the way that Ollie felt. They put us into Ollie's world and it really painted the picture of what it felt to realize your gender identity, all while not really knowing what gender identity is and how it's supposed to make you feel. They also didn't sacrifice a plot for how the feelings were shown, it wrapped up nicely. I also love that they didn't write Ollie with parents or a sister who disapproved of who they were, that there were other sides to coming out and being queer and that it can be a mix-match of a support system and those who shouldn't be in your life. At points I disliked how it was structured, it could be a little confusing at part, but all in all, I love Ollie's story and their character development. I also loved how their story didn't end when the book ended, it was very clear that they were still on a journey.

This was cute and definitely had its heartfelt moments, but Ollie In Between didn’t totally stick with me the way I hoped it would. I loved the concept—a queer, middle-grade take on the chaos of growing up and figuring yourself out—but sometimes the animal metaphors and internal monologue dragged a bit for me. That said, Ollie’s voice felt super real and awkward in that yep, been there kind of way, and I think a lot of younger readers will feel seen. It just didn’t hit as hard for me personally, but I still think it’s a solid, important read—especially for kids navigating identity and friendship changes. A decent read, just not one I’ll be thinking about forever.

I received an e-ARC and am giving my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this opportunity!

This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime book. I didn't come out as trans until late in my high school career, and during COVID at that, so I didn't really experience a lot of the gender issues until much later, but that didn't mean that this book wasn't relatable anyways, and I know that if I had had a story like this at that age it would've been everything to me. The feeling of wanting to stay safe versus knowing that your friend needs your help, and that help comes with a lot of ramifications, is something that so many teens deal with, especially queer teens. I had situations similar many times when I was younger, and still do.

The imagery this book provides, the feelings Ollie has, are so incredibly done and feel so real. It almost felt as if I was feeling them all as well, between how well they were described and how relatable they are.

This is the kind of book I will never stop recommending, especially to all of my students. This is the kind of thing queer kids need to read, to know they're not alone. It perfectly sums up part of the trans experience, and in a way that is easy to stomach for younger kids and easy to relate to. Truly incredible and should be a staple in classrooms everywhere.

I wish this book had been around when I was a young queer kid. The prose is simple yet carries emotion. I hope this becomes a classic in middle grade as representation counts, especially in that demographic.

I just wanted to give Ollie a hug so much, reading about trying to deal with puberty as a young child when you’re still not sure how you feel in your own body is just so tragic.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends for the ARC copy they provided.

Unfortunately, I did not finish this book in time to leave a review before the publication date, and though a review after publication is no less welcome or useful, I feel I do not have the time or space to give this book the attention it deserves.

Though I did not manage to finish Ollie In Between before its publication, I look forward to reading it at my leisure some time in the future.

I got an ARC of this book.

I am glad books like this exist. It didn't wow me. It felt like it dragged to no end. I fell asleep twice reading the last 10%.

The plot is pretty much Ollie coming to terms with being queer and what that means for their life. It didn't have a neatly bow tied ending, which I appreciated. I am just kinda tired of the plots being all about figuring out that queer exists. If there was another plot here to break up the constant gender thoughts, I would have liked it a lot more.

I did like the random tidbits about animals, but they didn't feel consistent enough. It felt like it was thrown on as a way to add words and show it was deep thoughts.

Overall, this was mostly a miss for me, but I love that it exists. This book will get into the right hands and help a kid realize they aren't broken. So it doesn't matter what I think, this book will save a life.

Here for more trans middle grade!! This one was wonderful - I loved Ollie's voice. Can't wait to share it with students navigating their own identities.

ollie in between is a beautiful middle grade novel about growing up and figuring out what that means, in terms of not only gender and sexual identity but what it means to truly grow up and into yourself. told in first person perspective, we follow ollie as they navigate not only puberty and what that means for them in terms of their identity, but the grief of losing their mother and growing apart in friendships. it’s hard not to love them and feel for them, and the random animal facts that they throw out at times were honestly fascinating as i didn’t know some of them myself. i even learned of a new animal!

ollie may only be 12, but parts of their gender journey and questions were still wholly relatable to me and what i went through when figuring that out and coming out myself much later in life. i think this book is a beautiful novel for anyone, regardless of age or identity, who has ever felt confused and out of place in the world and questioned what it meant to fit in and find where you belong.

thank you to macmillan children’s publishing group | fiewel & friends & netgalley for the earc!

3.25 stars

First, I am so glad books like Ollie in Between exist. It so important that these stories are written and are available.

Second, the rest of this review absolutely contains spoilers.
I wanted this book to be a favorite, but it just didn’t work for me.
Introductions to 18 characters (some in name only) in the first 20 pages was a bit of information overload. While I saw what the author was trying to do, the refrain of “it’s fine” every other page started to wear on me as a reader.
I found myself feeling like I was reading session notes where someone was processing their mother’s death for the first time, discovering gender identity, grappling with the concept of puberty, losing friendships, at some points touching on a possible neurodivergence diagnosis, and having many anxious thoughts, which is a lot simultaneously in the span of dozens of pages. As a result, much of the book left me feeling stressed by everything that was unceremoniously unpacked so quickly.

However, the moment of the first queer book club, my heart rate slowed and I, too, got to feel like I was coming home.
That scene made the book for me and I was hopeful.
Unfortunately, the bliss was somewhat short-lived.

We talk often about how few representations of queer joy exist in media. I so wanted this book to be filled to the brim with queer joy. And while we got queer joy in the last 40 pages, which was magical, the stress on the preceding pages was hard for me and I wanted even more of the joy and celebration

While I don’t anticipate Ollie in Between being a re-read for me, I so look forward to seeing more from this author in the future. More great things are sure to come.

Thank you to Jess Callans and Feiwel & Friends (an Imprint of Macmillan) for granting me an ARC through NetGalley.

I loved this. This was so well written and thought out and felt like a great read for me as an adult and I think it would be amazing for its intended demographic.

This book felt incredibly realistic and did a great job at portraying how tough puberty can really be along with questioning one's identity. How it is to want to belong and how important it is to find people who love and respect you. I very much enjoyed it.

Ollie In Between by Jess Callans is a heartfelt middle-grade novel that delves into the complexities of adolescence, identity, and the quest for belonging. The story follows Ollie Thompson, a nearly 13-year-old navigating the turbulent waters of puberty, shifting friendships, and the profound question of self-identity.​

Ollie's journey begins with a school assignment: an essay on what it means to be a woman. This prompts a series of interviews with various women in their life, leading to more questions than answers. As Ollie grapples with feelings of not fitting into traditional gender norms—being too "girly" for the hockey team yet not "girly" enough for their best friend—the narrative captures the essence of adolescent confusion and the longing for self-understanding.​

Callans masterfully portrays Ollie's internal struggles, using a first-person narrative that feels intimate and genuine. The depiction of Ollie's experiences with bullying, grief over a lost parent, and the challenges of forming new friendships is both poignant and realistic. The inclusion of a queer book club offers a beacon of hope, illustrating the importance of supportive communities in one's journey of self-discovery.​

What stands out is the novel's ability to address heavy topics with a balance of humor and sensitivity. Ollie's voice is authentic, filled with introspection, wit, and vulnerability. The narrative doesn't shy away from the discomforts of adolescence but instead embraces them, offering readers a mirror to their own experiences.​

While the pacing is deliberate, allowing for deep character exploration, some readers might find it slower than typical middle-grade novels.

Ollie In Between is a compelling read that resonates with anyone who's ever felt out of place or questioned their identity. It's a valuable addition to middle-grade literature, offering representation and understanding to readers navigating their own "in-between" moments.

Puberty, aka the ultimate biological predator, is driving a wedge between Ollie, who is soon to be thirteen, and their lifelong friends. Because Ollie is neither masculine enough for the neighborhood boys' hockey team nor feminine enough for Cal, their boy-crazy best friend, Ollie's gender expression is a problem for both groups. But if there is one thing that Ollie knows for sure, it is that they are not a girl. Ollie does not know where they fit in. Their usual ability to camouflage is being disrupted by all the surrounding changes.

Because health class lacks LGBTQ+ sex ed, Ollie, who is not a girl and does not want to be a woman, is unsure if their feelings are normal. It is all from a straight gender assigned at birth point of view. Ollie has to write an essay for health and writes it on what it means to be a woman, not as much for the class but for themself because Ollie does not think there is a choice for them. They try to do things like shop for bras and have their sister help them try on makeup, and they hope by writing this essay they will embrace womanhood.

Ollie is afraid to discuss their gender identity at home. Their mom died when they were 8, and Ollie is not sure about how their dad and college-age sister Lila will react and is afraid that this will cause them to lose their family. Their Mimi keeps calling and asking them why their dad does not make them dress like a girl since they are about to be thirteen. Ollie has an unspecified difficulty with social cues and hyper-fixations. Their friends are making new friends which, because of Ollie's difficulty, is difficult for them to do.

There had been an anonymous question box in health class, and when it was their turn to draw a question for the teacher to answer, Ollie wound up drawing their own, which was, what if I do not want to be a woman? A while after that, one girl from their health class comes up to them and says their health teacher is wrong and no one has to become a woman and that there is no one way to be a woman either, which makes Ollie think she understood it was Ollie's question. Ollie gets pushed out of neighborhood hockey for being a girl. They are 7th graders.

The pressure to do the right thing, dress and act girly, wear makeup and bras, use she/her pronouns rather than to be the person they were meant to be, is weighing on Ollie. They hate going by their birth name, but kids at school and their Mimi keep calling them it. They are so scared to make friends that might understand them because they do not want to get pushed farther away by hanging out with kids who get bullied for being different. Ollie's mom dying and her sister being in college means that Ollie is not prepared for bodily changes at all like bras and periods and being expected to shave legs and armpits. Ollie has their first panic attack buying bras.

They wish something terrible would happen so they would not have to get periods or grow breasts. Ollie interviewed numerous women for their health essay. One teacher thinks that a lot of what is defined as masculinity and femininity has to do with social norms. Ollie's sister Lila discusses how their mom told her that growing up in Iran, she was raised to be as small and quiet as possible. Lila felt like she took up too much space in the wrong way, so she told her to take up as much space as she needed.

Then Lila tells Ollie that she thinks the world gives mixed signals on how women and girls should act: don't be too quiet but do not be too loud either, don't be bossy but do not be a pushover. Lila explains their mom wanted them to be strong feminists, and Ollie says, was she not a stay-at-home parent? Lila explains that while she had decided that she would stay home with Ollie, she had worked when Lila was younger. She explains that femininity is about having the life that you want for yourself and not one that someone else or society expects you to have.

Ollie learns a lot about friendship and what having real friends and being a real friend is about when they decide to make friends with the kids they were worried about before. They find a sense of community and acceptance that they did not think could exist for them. The story wraps up nicely even with questions left unanswered about Ollie's future. Nobody knows their future at thirteen, anyway.

I enjoyed this book very much as a nonbinary trans masc person. I wish there had been access to books like this when I was growing up. This book, and others like it, will hopefully make kids feel more seen and understood, which makes me happy.

Reviewers note: Ollie is not set on what pronouns to use throughout most of the book except for knowing they do not like she\her at all. I used they\them throughout this review to be respectful of this.

I thank Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends for providing an e-arc of this book and NetGalley for its book review platform.

“Ollie in Between” offers readers a unique coming of age story featuring the experience of a gender diverse tween, trying to understand their position in the world. How does one fit into a box when the other people in the box don’t even understand what it looks like?

Ollie’s neurodivergence will help other neurodivergent kids feel seen. Their experience looking up movie plots felt like it was plucked out of my own life.

I think the voice given to experiences as a gender nonconforming tween is a voice that needs to be heard and highlighted more in middle grade and YA fiction, and I’m appreciative of the dynamics presented.

My only question is Ollie’s heritage: there were a few moments within the novel that seemed to highlight a uniquely Persian-American perspective. However, a lack of a Persian name for Ollie and some other parts throughout struck oddly. A section in the acknowledgements covering the author’s personal experience as a Persian-American or discussing the real life Persian-Americans who influenced their writing of Ollie would’ve been beneficial, in my mind.

Educators can use “Ollie in Between” to start a conversation about gender identity and how school can become an unsafe place to explore. Questions about assignments that have influenced students or made them feel unseen will likely pair well with a class reading of the novel.

This could've been a heartachingly bleak read in this current climate of widespread and state-sactioned hostility against trans and nonbinary children. And not gonna lie, Ollie's justified fear and paralysis over their identity did gut me and took me back to similar feelings of shame and insufficiency as a genderqueer child. But ultimately this ended up being rather wholesome, with no particularly horrific tragedies befalling queer children, and transphobia of all ages being called out and put in their places, but not magically converted out of their bigotry. I like that for a middle grade book, even if it lacks nuance for even a slightly older young adult reader. Ollie's interview project, akin to the author's which led to both of their gender journey, is super interesting in revealing how everyone in the spectrum of gender is isolated in their own ways, and that was refreshing to see in a middle grade book. That said, the part I wish would be been explored a bit more was about their Persian side of the family and what that heritage brought to the table of the gender questioning beyond just the food and the vague memories of a deceased mom. Thanks to Netgalley for an ebook ARC.

I thought that I would really like this is if I was a lot younger but this felt a bit insufferable to read. I like the representation but this book wasn't for me. It felt a bit juvenile and unrealistic compared to my experiences coming out and with other people coming out to me. I might come back to this but overall I didn't love it.

- OLLIE IN BETWEEN is a middle grade novel inspired by ARE YOU THERE, GOD? IT’S ME MARGARET starring a kid discovering they might be trans.
- It’s by turns funny and heartbreaking, and you just want to squeeze Ollie and their friends so tightly.
- I think I’d put this on the upper end of middle grade, as it tackles some hard and complex topics like transphobia and misogyny.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC!

This book follows Ollie, a nonbinary child, who’s working on a project for health class to figure out what womanhood means while also trying to figure who they are and where they fit.

I really loved this book! I may have teared up a few times while I was reading. I really enjoyed the discussions Ollie would have about womanhood and what it means to the people she interviewed. I also liked seeing how all of these discussions ended up helping Ollie figure out who they are and find a new friend group who accepts them for who they are.

I can definitely see this book being helpful to people of all ages, queer or not, since we’re all just trying to figure what it means to be us. I’m excited to read more books by Jess in the future.

actual rating: 4.5 stars