Hello! I'm Afoma.
  • Book Reviews
    • Picture book
    • Chapter Books
    • Middle-Grade
    • Graphic Novels
    • Young Adult
    • Adult Fiction
    • Adult Non-Fiction
  • Book Lists
    • Picture Book Lists
    • Middle Grade Book Lists
    • Book Lists by Theme
    • Book Lists by Grade
    • Audiobook Recommendations
  • Join My Newsletter!
  • Go to the Blog
  • Summer Reading

Reading Middle Grade

Books for Kids and Grown Ups

  • Book Reviews
    • Picture book
    • Chapter Books
    • Middle-Grade
    • Graphic Novels
    • Young Adult
    • Adult Fiction
    • Adult Non-Fiction
  • Book Lists
    • Picture Book Lists
    • Middle Grade Book Lists
    • Book Lists by Theme
    • Book Lists by Grade
    • Audiobook Recommendations
  • Join My Newsletter!
  • Go to the Blog
  • Summer Reading

Book Reviews, Middle-Grade · September 14, 2022

Review | Where You’ve Got to Be

Book Review - Where You've Got to Be

Summary: Where You’ve Got to Be

In Where You’ve Got to Be, Nolie feels like the odd person out amid changes. Her sister Linden, who’s only 14 months older seems to have grown up overnight, ditching the seashell necklace their grandmother gave them. And now her best friend, Jessa thinks Nolie’s nickname is too babyish and she should really go by her full name, Magnolia instead. She also wants to include a new cooler friend in their duo and give Nolie a complete makeover.

To top it off, Nolie doesn’t seem to have a “thing” that she’s good at or particularly passionate about. With all those emotions brewing, Nolie makes a poor choice to start stealing things from several people. Can she find her way?

The Good

I LOVED this story. It’s very slice-of-life as Nolie returns from a summer with her grandmother and cousins and then starts sixth grade in this changing landscape. We see how she lives in the city (NYC) with her family, squabbles with her sister and tries to find a place at home and in her friendship with her best friend. Nolie is also Jewish and the author incorporates some Jewish traditions and holidays that Nolie’s family participates in.

Nolie has a sweet relationship with her grandmother and her dad runs a shoe store that she helps out with. I loved that everything in this story feels vibrant and immersive — it felt like I was in New York again. This book shines the most in the places where Nolie is figuring out who she is and what her thing is and how she fits in with her friends. I liked that despite being confused, she feels confident enough in herself to reject the notion of getting made over by Jessa. Gertler has done a fantastic job creating a nuanced, relatable character.

Overall: Where You’ve Got to Be

Where You’ve Got to Be is an engaging, immersive, and relatable middle grade book about dealing with changing circumstances. Centering a likable Jewish tween and her struggles with an evolving friendship, this book takes readers through life in the Big Apple, making new friends, making mistakes and repairing them. Anyone who enjoys character-driven stories with an enjoyable plot will love this one!


Buy This Book

Where You've Got to Be

buy on amazon

More Book Reviews

  • Join the Club, Maggie Diaz by Nina Moreno
  • Many Points of Me by Caroline Gertler
  • Dear Friends by Lisa Greenwald

Don't Forget to Share!

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Pocket
  • Email
  • WhatsApp
  • LinkedIn

Related

Posted In: Book Reviews, Middle-Grade

Join My Newsletter

Like what you just read? Sign up for my Friday kidlit newsletter!

Privacy Policy

You’ll Also Love

Review | The Flyers
Review | City Spies #1 by James Ponti
Review | Breathing Underwater

What do you think? Leave a comment Cancel reply

Next Post >

The Best Soccer Books for Kids

About Me
Hi, I'm Afoma! Thank you for stopping by. Learn more about me here.

Get 2 Months Free on Scribd


Follow on Bloglovin’

Follow

We’re Social Too!

  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest

Stock photos courtesy of our partners at DepositPhotos 📸
✨a suspenseful middle grade book✨ ✨chapter books worth reading!✨ Welcoming a second baby? Here’s a delightful picture book with tips for big kids. Although there’s more text in this one than I’d like for a typical picture book, I love that the information is factual and can be very helpful for parents tackling these specific questions with their big kids ❤️ ❓What happened to Rachel Riley❓ As much as I love new releases, I like to make room in my reading plans for books released a couple (or more) years before. Here’s my current backlist stack for 2023. ✨life’s easier when you can be yourself ✨
  • Blog
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

Copyright © 2023 Reading Middle Grade · Theme by 17th Avenue

 

Loading Comments...