I was initially drawn to Ollie In Between due to the book's premise. Middle school was around the time I was questioning my own identity and never had the words to describe my frustrations of not wanting to be a girl, but also not wanting to be a boy. I read this book with my younger self in mind, thinking how I would have reacted to it as my 13-year-old self.

I loved Ollie's voice throughout the novel. The book read as if we the reader were a journal Ollie wrote in at the end of each day. Ollie was unapologetically them in their narrative. As a reader, you can see all of Ollie's thought processes as you journey with them. I also loved all of the animal analogies, my 13-year-old self was also obsessed with animals and I read Zoo Books religiously. I never thought the raw conversations between Ollie and the reader felt out of place. As the narrative continued, I could tell that Ollie was maybe autistic, but it is never explicitly stated, only alluded to.

Ollie's journey of self-acceptance was done beautifully, and I also thought how side characters were handled was done with a lot of care. I adore Stella and Ollie's dad and wish I got to see a bit more of them both, but that is just my selfish wants. I do wish some of the parental issues later in the book were a bit more fleshed out, but understand it was left open-ended.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book as an adult and I know my younger self would have appreciated a book like this. I think it would have helped me so much to feel not so alone in the world at a time when variations of gender identity were not widely known. I think this book is perfect for those in middle school. There are at times raw descriptions of puberty, but I think this is still needed.

Thank you NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Overall Rating: 4.5 (rounded up)

What a moving queer coming of age middle grade debut about Ollie who is scared about 'becoming a woman' and all that it entails. The more they dwell on the way their body is changing and how uncomfortable being a 'girl' feels, the more they start to question whether maybe a nonbinary identity fits them best. Sure to resonate with readers going through the same feelings, this book is a great addition to young queer lit and perfect for fans of books like Gooseberry by Robin Gow, Spin with me by Ami Polonsky or Green by Alex Gino. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

I had to DNF this book. I tried hard to get into it, but I just couldn't. It's still a great story and important, but I think it just wasn't for me and that's okay.

Ollie In Between is an authentic portrayal of the adolescent experience. The narrative is both endearing and hilarious, capturing the chaos of growing up and the courage it takes to speak up for oneself and others. Ollie’s direct addresses to the reader create an intimate and engaging reading experience, making it easy to empathize with their struggles and triumphs.

The book thoughtfully explores themes of gender identity, friendship, and self-acceptance. Ollie’s internal conflicts and external challenges are portrayed with sensitivity and realism, resonating with readers who may be navigating similar issues. The inclusion of diverse characters and the depiction of bullying, transphobia, dysphoria, and grief add depth to the narrative, providing a comprehensive look at the multifaceted nature of growing up

Ollie is facing puberty and for them, it feels like it's time to be a "woman," whatever that means. Ollie then begins to inquire of other women what it means to be a woman. After their research and interviews, they're just as confused as ever and they still don't feel like a girl or woman. Dress are still awful and their body changes bother them. When Ollie meets a group who are starting a Queer Book Club, they may just find out what it means to be themselves.

The first half of this book was rough. I almost DNFed, but I also was determined to finish this book as it had some positive reviews. At the halfway point, the book shifts (this is where they meet the Queer Book Club Kids) and it becomes hopeful as Ollie starts to find a direction. A lot of the hangups Ollie has in the beginning fades and I couldn't wait to read their journey. If one can get past the really dark first half, they will be rewarded with a hopeful story.

This will be an important book for middle schoolers who need it -- and all middle schoolers need it. Ollie is a character that readers in similar situations can relate to. All middle schoolers need to relate to the situations presented in the book. Ollie has many questions about growing up and becoming a woman with much internal dialogue.

Ollie's introspective look at life in the middle (middle school, in the middle of friends, in the middle of identity) was touching and a story that I can see a lot of queer kids in the middle needing to hear.

3.5 stars rounded down. As a reader who doesn’t fit neatly into the gender binary, I was really looking forward to this book, although me and Ollie’s coming out experiences are vastly different. Trans middle grade, especially novels with non-white protagonists, is extremely and troublingly rare. Although I gave this book a lower rating, I don’t think that should discourage others from reading this: “Ollie In Between” provides a visceral, often deeply uncomfortable, glimpse into entering puberty in a body your true self isn’t recognized in. Ollie’s dysphoria and anxiety goes so much deeper than a stereotypical, “born in the wrong body” trans narrative. Grief, family dynamics, and gender were handled in such a way that it brought me to tears (and, fine, ONE breakdown).

With that said, my main issues come from both the pacing and the ending. If you don’t relate to Ollie’s story, there isn’t much to get out of it. While it’s not totally slice-of-life and is still driven heavily by external conflict, the writing tries to be more introspective, something that I felt was dulled by Ollie’s circling lines of thinking as they struggle to grow into their identity. The ending was also frustratingly optimistic, which I understand is to give the target demographic hope, but to me it just felt like forgetting the actions and hurt of certain characters that were especially cruel towards Ollie (and unarguably fueled their spirals). I’m a bit iffy on one of those cases, though, because at least with that particular character it was implied that Ollie had some wishful thinking (which, unfortunately understandable).

I did like the autism representation, though. There were some very graphic sensory overload scenes that showed how emotional triggers lead to them just as much as physical ones. I also felt Ollie being neurodivergent (and already struggling to fit in with their peers) added a layer to their already complicated gender identity.

I’m still glad this book exists. Unsure of if it’ll reach more kids, or adults who read middle grade, though. (I’m hoping the former, but with the writing style, and how triggering it could be, I don’t know.)

As a woodsy, queer, nonbinary, and probably autistic adult, Ollie in Between was an absolute joy to read. Even if those labels don’t resonate with you, this book offers a heartfelt exploration of finding your people, looking for what it means to be a woman, and navigating the loss of a parent. I highly recommend it for middle-grade readers, though be mindful that it includes depictions of bullying, transphobia, dysphoria, and grief.

Thank you to NetGalley for the digital advanced copy.

I ended up DNFing this book. I found it uncomfortable to read about the awkward discovery of sexuality and gender in middle school. This may be helpful for actual middle schoolers who may feel alone in their experiences, but it was too much for me personally.

Thank you to Netgalley for the free arc!

It is amazing that books like this exist for middle grade readers now. Ollie is a 12, almost 13 year old, who is trying to figure out who she is. She knows that she does not want to be a girl and does not want to become a woman. Ollie experiences changes in her relationship with her best friend Cal who is a girl and a good friend Nate, a boy. Several things shake up her view of who she thinks she is and where she belongs. One is she begins to befriend a group of queer kids at school and the other is an English project where she has to write an essay about what it means to grow up and become a woman. Ollie has no idea and interviews many women to try to figure it out. She explores various labels including transgender, nonbinary, and Ollie in her quest to figure out who she is. One critique that I've seen from other people is that the story comes together a little bit too neatly at the end. That's true, but it also makes for a satisfying ending.

Ollie in Between is a beautiful middle grade novel that explores grief, implied neurodiversity, and gender through the lens of a middle grade student. I really love Ollie and found myself connecting so much to the way they explored all the difficult parts of growing up. This book has gorgeous prose and great non-binary representation. Ollie's love of the natural world was a delight! I completely related to the confusion and disappointment when all of your friends' interests suddenly change and you don't understand why.

Thanks to NetGalley, Jess Callans, and Macmillan for the chance to read and review! My opinions are my own!

A book about a neurodivergent queer main character trying to discover who they are.

I started out really enjoying this book but the ramblings of the MC through inner monologue quickly became unbearable for me.

I think this book is vital for the younger generation especially those around Ollies age who are also going through self discovery and I really wish there had been books like this when I was younger.

Thank you Netgalley Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends for the arc

I cried so much during this read. This is what it feels and means to be a queer kid figuring out what your gender and sexuality means in an unkind world. Middle school is tough and being queer makes it harder. My heart ached for Ollie’s pain and filled me with joy for their happiness. I already preordered the book, absolutely essential to have in a queer collection.

There's a big part of me wondering where this book was when I was 12. Regardless of how you feel about your gender and place in social hierarchies of middle school (whether that's your past or present) I think the ambivalence Ollie has towards their changing body and figuring out their place in the world will probably be super relatable.

Ollie In Between perfectly captures that messy, confusing, and frustrating feeling of growing up and not quite fitting into the boxes everyone expects. Ollie’s struggles—balancing friendships, dealing with puberty, and figuring out who they really are—felt so real and relatable. Their voice is funny, raw, and full of heart, and I was rooting for them the entire time.

This book is perfect for anyone who’s ever felt stuck in the middle of things, and it’s such an important, comforting read for kids figuring out their own identities. Definitely a must-read!

While I didn't entirely enjoy the format of this book, it will help other queer kids that pick it up. It was still a wonderful message, I wish we had more time to see Ollie explore their new style and life before the book ends. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC of Ollie in Between.

Such a special middle grade novel. Ollie In Between follows an important story of a student trying to understand what womanhood is and what it is like to be a woman. The novel studies themes of queerness and ultimately makes you question your own views on the subject.

I loved Ollie in Between - as someone who is nonbinary myself I would have really appreciated reading this book at about 13 or 14, so I tried to keep my younger self in mind reading which is a huge part of why this will not be full of petty criticisms. I love the writing style, I love how it explores just the basic fact of what it means - or doesn't mean - to grow up.
I'm not good at eloquent reviews, I'm afraid, so I will keep this short.
This book is a beautiful exploration of queerness specifically in regards to gender. The plot is medium-paced to allow time for the self-exploration of the main character, and in that sense I think it's really well done. Ollie asks questions I think so many of us ask ourselves, especially if we do struggle with our gender and our bodies doing things we didn't ask for - what does it actually MEAN to be a girl or a boy, and is there a way of doing it 'right'? And the way it wrapped up, while maybe a bit simplistic or too perfect for some, made me smile and is perfect for the book.
It's a very simple story with a timely message and I hope that the intended audience, tweens in the midst of the eternal struggle that is puberty, will draw some comfort that at least a fictional character gets it even if they can't talk about it with friends or family.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing this arc!

growing up i never thought of my body as a “woman”’s. maybe because my mother made it clear that gender was irrelevant when it comes to life success; maybe because the hindu legends i devoured featured gods and mortals alike swapping genders to reach their goals. either way, puberty passed for me relatively easily. i started carrying pads in my backpack, at some point i started wearing bras, and it was just something that happened. even now, five years after coming out as nonbinary, i rarely experience dysphoria with regards to my physical body.

but many aren’t as lucky as me, and to them i recommend this book.

ollie in between is a gripping, powerful, and at times painful story about trying to find who and what you are, in a society that loves to assign people into categories, but doesn’t love to elaborate on what those categories mean or why they exist. the main character ollie is tasked with writing an essay about what it means to grow up, but faced with conflicting opinions from her best friends and sister, they decide to interview several women in their life to find out. as they learn more and more about “being a woman”, they also realize they might not be one. ollie’s journey is by no means an easy one, but i think it is a poignant portrayal of queer existence, resilience, and joy.

trigger warnings: transphobia, homophobia, bullying, panic attacks