"This affecting exploration of activism, racism and cross-cultural romance will chime with a generation of politically switched-on readers"
Imparting an infectious passion for politics, speaking-out and trying to make a difference, Yes No Maybe So, co-authored by Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed, is a resonant, readable page-turner with an adorable cross-cultural romance at its heart.
Jamie Goldberg is a self-professed klutz with confidence issues and a commitment to campaigning for his local Democrat candidate. While he hates being the centre of attention and has no interest in “power for its own sake”, Jamie is certain that “I want to be a history changer. I want to help draw the line.” It’s on the campaign trail that he meets Maya.
With her parents recently separated, their vacation plans cancelled, and her best friend distracted with college plans, Maya figures she’d just as well do something during the summer.
The Islamophobia Maya experiences while canvassing elicits a mix of shock, anger and defiance. “We don’t want the racist asshole guy to win, right?” she says of the bigot who slurs her during one doorstep encounter. “He already did win. In 2016,” Jamie quips of the US President.
As the heat of the campaign intensifies, not least when they stand against a Republican bill seeking to ban head and face coverings in public spaces, and Jamie’s car is defaced with an anti-Semitic sticker, so too does their friendship, with their cross-cultural relationship portrayed with authentic empathy.
Maya and Jamie’s dual narrative plays out with page-turning urgency and their awakenings – political, personal and romantic – are a genuine joy to experience. While Jamie has to learn from his Ramadan-related gaffes, and there are conflicts to navigate, their friendship – and more – transcends boundaries.
Jamie Goldberg is cool with volunteering for his local state candidate - as long as he's behind the scenes. There's no way he'd ever knock on doors to ask people for their votes...until he meets Maya. Maya Rehman's having the worst Ramadan ever. Her best friend is too busy to hang out, her summer trip is cancelled, her parents are separating and now her mother thinks the solution to her problems is political canvassing - with some awkward guy she hardly knows ...
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Jamie Goldberg is cool with volunteering for his local state candidate - as long as he's behind the scenes. There's no way he'd ever knock on doors to ask people for their votes...until he meets Maya.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Yes No Maybe So and determined it is suitable for children aged 15-18 years old
Yes No Maybe So features in the following genres: Romance / Relationship Stories, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Star Books, Recommendations, Featured Books for Young Adults
Paperback. £7.19, down from the £7.99 cover price. In Stock.
Yes No Maybe So was written by Becky Albertalli, Aisha Saeed and published by Simon & Schuster Childrens Books an imprint of Simon & Schuster Ltd
Yes No Maybe So has 436 pages
£7.19, reduced from £7.99. In Stock.
