Just Lizzie, by Karen Wilfrid, is a lovely middle grade contemporary following Lizzie, an 8th grader dealing with a lot of changes in her life. Her family just had to move neighborhoods after a traumatic experience with a neighbor, her brother moved to college, and she is surrounded by friends who are all having their first romantic experiences while she feels completely alien, never having had a crush. When she learns about asexuality, she finally feels like she fits, but navigating that self-discovery and trying to share that part of her identity with those close to her proves difficult.

As an aspec person, I am so grateful that this book exists. I can’t even begin to imagine what it will mean to the ace kids who encounter a word that fits them for the first time.

Many things about this book were done extremely well. It’s an extremely character-driven story, and that’s reflected in the care given to character development, not just for Lizzie, but also to figures like her best friend and her brother. Every character in the story feels very real and human—you may not like them all the time (indeed, I couldn’t help but dislike a few of them), but they feel alive in a way that I don’t often see, particularly in middle-grade books that are fundamentally limited by a younger narrating voice.

Lizzie is a compelling and relatable protagonist. Her character development, not just in response to her discovery asexuality but also in regards to the rest of the story, is palpable and believable. She reads exactly like an 8th grader who’s just starting to figure herself out—she doesn’t know everything, but she’s starting to figure out how to navigate the world. I felt for her so much, in all of her uncertainty and self-doubt, and I just know that she’ll be such an important character to so many readers.

The focus on community and changing friendships is also done well; Lizzie is learning who she can rely on, and old friendships are being tested by the changing social world that comes towards the end of middle school. While Lizzie’s journey with asexuality will be particularly important for young queer kids, I think that this aspect of the story is something that will be relatable and comforting for almost every kid reading it.

I think that the asexuality plot was handled and explained well, although I wish that there had been a little more exploration of the differences between asexuality and aromanticism; this book will likely be a first exposure to asexuality for most people, and I think clarifying those terms would have been a little better, especially since Lizzie’s experiences seemed very in line with both identities, but the book sticks strictly to her identifying as ace. I think that the asexuality plot was done well and in an age-appropriate way, but I just wish there’d been a little more exploration of the two terms for the sake of readers being introduced to the identities.

My only fundamental critique of the story was that I don’t think that the plot line with their old neighbor was necessary or helpful to the plot—the other story lines all built together well to complement and enhance Lizzie’s self-discovery and character growth, but I truly could not figure out what the book was trying to do with that plot line. It feels out of place and doesn’t make much sense with the rest of the book. It was written okay, but not with the same execution and skill with which the rest of the story was written.

Overall, though, I cannot recommend Just Lizzie enough. I still can’t fully believe that this book exists; I’m so grateful for it, and I know it will mean the world to so many people. I would recommend this to anybody; even if you aren’t usually a fan of middle grade fiction, this is such a well-written story of asexuality that I truly think everybody should read it. I’m giving it 4.5 stars, taking off half a star only for the few minor critiques described above.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.