Free Period

by Ali Terese

*National Book Award Longlist Title
*School Library Journal Starred Review
*Audiofile Earphones Award Winner

This middle-grade Moxie centering period equity is i<>Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret for the next generation!

Helen and Gracie are pranking their way through middle school when a stinky stunt lands them in the front office -- again. Because nothing else has curbed their chaos, the principal orders the best friends to do the unthinkable -- care about something. So they join the school’s Community Action Club with plans to do as little as humanly possible. But when Helen is caught unprepared by an early period and bleeds through her pants -- they were gold lamé! -- the girls take over the club’s campaign for maxi pads in bathrooms for all students who menstruate. In the name of period equity, the two friends use everything from over-the-top baked goods to glitter gluing for change. But nothing can prepare them for a clueless school board (ew), an annoying little sister (ugh), and crushes (oh my!). As Helen and Gracie find themselves closer to change and in deeper trouble than ever before, they must decide if they care enough to keep going . . . even if it costs them their friendship.

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Audiobook, Contemporary, Feminism, Young Adult, Humor

266 pages, Hardcover

First published March 5, 2024

About the author

Ali Terese is a middle grade and YA author who writes funny and heartfelt stories including FREE PERIOD (Scholastic - 2024) and VOTE FOR THE G.O.A.T. (Aladdin / Simon & Schuster - 2025). Her work has received the National Book Award - Longlist honor, a School Library Journal starred review, an Audiofile Magazine Earphones Award, and a Kids’ Indie Next selection. FREE PERIOD is part of the Chicago Battle of the Books and Texas's Lone Star Reading ListVisit Ali online for book bonuses, giveaways, and resources like discussion guides, recipes, craftivism projects, and more at aliterese.com.

Reviews

[Anna Moberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish books that spoke positively about periods were around when I was younger. This book also led me down a rabbit hole to see what kind of things are available to those in need in my state and where I can donate items. I love how much the students cared about this issue in the book

[willow · Rating 4 out of 5]

A super fun, super important read for middle schoolers and beyond. Helen and Gracie are goofy little gremlins who love to terrorize the halls of their middle school... until they land the punishment of working in the Community Action Club. This book tackles the problem of period equity so well, and I can already see it becoming a modern children's classic alongside Are You There God, It's Me Margaret.

Both girls were hilarious, chaotic, and full of heart. I did have trouble distinguishing between the two (their voices were so similar!), and while they had their own storylines and character arcs, I wish their personalities were a tad bit different. Gracie has no problem talking about periods; Helen is awkward saying the word "pad." I wish this contrast was worked with a little more! I also was expecting a little more from Madison, the antagonistic popular girl to give more of a motive for her passion (I wanted a story from her about why she cared about period equity--like an embarrassing first period origin!). Overall though, big fun.

This book toes the line between entertainment and education wonderfully and I think will make an impact on the creative little minds of the world.

thanks so much to netgalley for the arc!

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun book! I am thrilled to see periods being normalized for this generation.

Gracie and Helen are the best - I loved their friendship and how these two absolute chaos monsters used their chaos for the good of all. When their principal tells them that in a last-ditch effort to get them to behave, she is making them join a club or sport, they get involved in the Community Action Club, expecting it to be something they can coast through. Instead, they get swept up in a period equity campaign that leads them down a path they never expected - they care about something and want to make a difference!

I especially loved seeing the male characters step up and support the campaign. We need more of that! There is some tween romance, but the girls in this story have so much confidence that they build those relationships on their terms. I wish I'd had this book when I was a young teen!

This is a perfect bridge book between middle-grade and YA. I think it should be required reading for everyone!

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolutely FABULOUS middle grade debut!! I loved Gracie and Helen and their big-hearted yet misguided antics trying to spearhead a period equity campaign at their school only to come up against obstacle after obstacle. Two more quirky, close-knit best friends I haven't read before and I really hope we get to see them again in another book.

This should be required reading in schools - particularly in for its important message that period products should be a basic right, supplied in all bathrooms so that students don't have to worry about accidents or not being able to afford menstral products. HIGHLY, highly recommend this book. I would give it all the stars if I could. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn’t work for me. The reading is a bit tedious for a middle grade book and the two characters sound so similar.

[Jenn Bishop · Rating 5 out of 5]

A whipsmart overflowing tampon of female friendship energy

[Devann Hattis · Rating 2 out of 5]

A solid attempt at a novel for middle level readers about an incredibly important topic, but the writing misses the mark. If you can’t write realistic middle schoolers, don’t write from their point of view. Moreover, what is a manic pixie dream girl archetype doing in a novel published in 2024? Really unfortunate given how important the topic is.

[Karen Arendt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is about more than period equity- though menstruation needs to become normalized and not be taboo or hushed. it is also about effecting change, speaking up for yourself and others. Gracie and Helen are unique and so different from each other other which mKea them perfect friends!

[Dani Terk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the highest praise I can give, especially for a middle-grade book, is that it trusts the reader, and Ali Terese does that in epic fashion in FREE PERIOD. Adults tend to be quick to judge what children are ready for (often with good intentions), but young readers are way more perceptive, compassionate, and resilient than we give them credit. When half the population has or will menstruate, stories like this that dismantle the stigma, promote equity, and normalize those could-be-mortifying menstrual moments MATTER. Add in tons of puns and hilarious moments, and this book is a riot!

[Daisy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A masterpiece 🥹

[✮ ⋆ ˚｡ ᗩᑌᗷᖇIE ⋆｡°✩ · Rating 2 out of 5]

wonderful message! but it was way too “kiddish” for me

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I loved so many great quotes, mainly because they were true, and they brought me back to my middle school and high school days of needing to use the bathroom for my period issues. ("Putting a small mattress between my legs"... Something like that. I need to find the quotes).

I loved so many things about this book that I don't know where to begin. It's a perfect book for all students, regardless of gender. I liked how the author included boys' points of view. Including one boy who keeps period products in his backpack in case a friend of his may need it. That just shows that it is okay for anyone and everyone to talk about periods and period products.

I also liked how the characters said period equity is a human right and not necessarily a girl's right. I would have liked for them to maybe mention transgendered people who would also need period products. It was mentioned that products would be placed in boys' bathrooms too, but not specifically mentioned for transgendered people or nonbinary people either.

There are so many great ideas and social issues for class discussions within these awesome pages. I also have tried to get period products into the bathrooms at work to no avail. Maybe this book can help. At work students sometimes ask for a "blueberry", meaning they need a pad (it comes in a blue box). They shouldn't need to use code words to ask for basic daily/monthly needs.

I loved how the author had the characters talking about how they need to be in a safe school environment to be able to learn and that included having period products available WHERE they were needed - IN THE BATHROOMS, all of them! Including the staff bathrooms! I have had coworkers asking if I had anything they could use because they too were caught off guard with their periods showing up unexpectedly. School staff don't have time to run home or to the store during the day and it should be made available.
I can go on and on and on. Just read it for yourself or with your classroom.

A must-have for all libraries and a must-read for everyone!

@alitereseauthor #FreePeriod #SchoolLibrary #SchoolLibrarians #GoodReads
#ReadABook #Books #Read #MGReads MGBooks #MGLit #KidLit #KidLit #ElementaryBooks #ElemReads

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helen and Gracie have followed through on almost every prank that they could devise, but now they may have gone too far. Helen's moms are threatening to send her to a private school and Gracie doesn't know if she can survive without her. As a compromise, Principal Varone tells Helen and Gracie that they must find some after school activity. When they join the Community Action Club and Helen overflows in her pants, they decide to get behind Period Equity as a community service project with hilarious results.

Free Period is a fun coming of age story about two girls who are finding their place in the world with varying results. Some of their pranks are over the top and funny, but when their pranks are about something that they care about, the dynamics of the story change, making it easy for the reader to root for them. The personalities of the protagonists as well as some of the supporting characters are well developed and recognizable. Also each chapter begins with a fun title and subtitle a long with the POV represented in that chapter. Overall, Free Period is an entertaining coming of age novel filled with heart.

[Hannah Earl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got as an ARC at work (with a Cuterus pin!) This is a much-needed book. I would say the target audience should be about 10-15 yr olds, but based on how much I enjoyed it, anyone can read it. It’s so refreshing to see social progress in period equity. Even if it is not a reality yet, it’s amazing that there are books and websites and organizations behind this cause, and now a great book that will encourage young people to try their hand at activism. The book is about so much more, too. It’s about the challenge of navigating peer social groups in grade school, and the challenge of relating to adults who have expectations of you but who don’t take you seriously. The story shows positive examples of supportive relationships between girls, and how girls at odds with one another can become friends through understanding the other. There are even examples of young men responding positively to period equity activism and supporting their menstruating friends. Overall, this book is fun, full of heart and positivity. I hope to have the opportunity to hand sell several copies to young readers.

[Louie · Rating 4 out of 5]

So funny, so smart! The two best friend main characters: Helen and Gracie, who fight to get period pads in their school, are so well written, they are intrepid, impulsive, kind, tough, friendly, sometimes selfish, lovers of pranks and farts, and committed to their friendship. They really made this story sparkle as did Ali Terese's brilliant writing.
I highly recommend Free Period if you like to laugh, and you want to be inspired to make a difference.

[Erika, I Guess⁷ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suuuuper fun! I could totally see this as a movie. The girls were very middle school, and sometimes they said things that threw me for a loop, but as an adult, isn't that the point?
Also, their side crushes were fun and definitely how I was as a 13 yr old (one poor choice clouded by a cute face and another cute face that matched an actual good person).
Free period products for all 💜

[Suzanne Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ali Terese packs “Free Period” with humor and heart. You’ll route for Helen and Gracie as these best friends move from pranksters to craftivists with a cause. Readers will laugh out loud, be brought to tears, and open their hearts to the challenges of middle school and more. This is a “just can’t put it down” story with hysterical banter and empowering voices. Writers of all ages looking for mentor text on voice and plot? This is how the masters do it!

[Cassidy]

Thanks to Scholastic Press and NetGalley for this ARC! Free Period by Ali Terese comes out on March 5, 2024!

[Liz P · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for young girls to become more comfortable with their menstrual cycle and give ideas on how to make a difference in any topic she may feel passionate about!

[Momina Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute, informative read. Also, absolutely loooved Helen and Gracie and their best friendship 💖

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much fun!! I hope this book inspires young people to go out and fight for change. Read for Libraries, Literature, and the Child.

[Chloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good written novel I was hooked immediately I love how it’s hidden message that is people of all ages can make a difference as long as they do the work and put up with the fight I love how hard working these two girls are they are very talented and determined witch we need more in the real world and this is a very important cause witch I think a lot of girls and women can relate to I loved every second of reading this book I would recommend it to any kid who wants to make a difference in there school or community

[Nashae Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helen and Grace are more than best friends, they're practically sisters. They are also the reigning queens of pranks, much to their principal's chagrin. When their latest prank lands them in the office once again, the principal gives them an unusual punishment that drives them into a project fighting for period equity.

Terese's middle grade debut is full of sparkling humor that will make even those most cynical pre-teen belly laugh. The book is full of fart jokes an witty pre-teen snipes. But even though humor is laced throughout the pages, the heart of the book lies in the changing dynamics of Helen and Grace's friendship. Terese perfectly captures the beauty and complexity of relationships, which is evidenced in the different relationships she portrays throughout the novel.

Five out of five stars for this important middle grade read. This should be in school libraries everywhere.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

FREE PERIOD by Ali Terese. I liked the idea of this, but did not care for the book.

Helen and Gracie are middle school students who have been punished for pranking others. They have been told they must join the Community Action Club and do something positive for the school. A series of mishaps helps them decide their project. They are going to recruit other students, (and some parents) form a plan, and speak to the school board about the need to have period supplies in the bathrooms.

I have no problem with their goal, I just dislike this giggly, girly way of telling the story. It could be because I am too old, but I also don't recall being like this. I was too busy hiding.

I found the story too goofy for me.

[Little Batties · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was honest, awkward, funny, and (at times) down right infuriating, exactly what you would expect from a book whose main focus is periods. How, there were parts of this story that were hard to get through, and it had nothing to do with the menstrual conversations. There were several times were I nearly put this down and didn't finish this book, but -- in the end -- I powered through because I wanted to see if these student could accomplish their goal.

Characters
This dual perspective novel gave us two main characters that bounced off each other in a way that it was sometimes hard to follow. While the author labeled the perspective we'd be following in each chapter, there were times it was hard to tell the two a part. It didn't help that this whole, inseparable best friend trope was followed, but Gracie and Helen did shine through as their individual selves at times. Honestly, it was when they were not around each other that we truly got to see who they were, and I wish there had been more of that.

There are plenty of noteworthy secondary characters, and I was actually disappointed that they were not a bigger part of this. From the popular girl you love to hate, to her cohort of other popular kids who follow along despite being their own person, the crushes to our main characters, and even the other set of popular kids that aren't afraid to go up against the head cheerleader. They truly made the whole middle school experience seem real in the story.

Storyline
The overall storyline was interesting, and it was the main reason I kept reading despite the horrendous dialogue that was scattered throughout the novel. I assume most of it was trying to be comedic, but there were times I was sitting here, groaning and rolling my eyes because it was absolutely ridiculous or unbelievable. It did have its sweet and awkward moments where it was believable (like Gracie and Michael), but overall I was left wondering who in the world talks like this?

I liked that the main plotline had a bunch of students lobbying for period equity, and that it was made clear in the story that it isn't just girls who have their period. It was refreshing to see because it is a conversation most people don't know how to have or they live in areas where their school doesn't put sanitation products in the bathrooms for all students to access. Then there are places that do but don't consider that people other than girls have their periods. It was an overall important message to impart.

Honestly, I really thought I would give this higher rating, but I cannot get over some of the horrible dialogue or other moments in this story that made this harder to believe.

[J.D. Holman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have very mixed opinions on this book and am going to give a run-down of pros and cons.

Pros:
- In many places, even in modernized countries, many people who need menstrual products are unable to get them. Having them readily accessible in middle school is very important, especially considering many kids that age are not ready when menarche happens. This book covers a necessary topic.
- It does a good job at having people on all sides of the situation: period equity for all, recognition of a need but not knowing what to do, indifference, mocking, opposition, and American Puritanism (how dare you speak of bodily functions that impact half the population in front of my sons).
- I really liked the side character, Michael F. I feel like he was one of the most developed characters.
- Same with Aunt Carmella.
- Healthy female friendships and platonic love between best friends!
- There was a lot of fun and humor in the book, making it a quick read.

Cons:
- Only by the grace of their names being at the top of every page did I ever know which protagonist I was following. Gracie and Helen, despite allegedly having differences in intelligence, upbringings, modus operandi, and so on, had indistinguishable voices. Gracie baked; that's the only real time I felt that they were a little bit different. This is an absolute problem and has me debating what to rate this.
- Outside of Aunt Carmella, there isn't a darn adult who actually listens. I felt like the principal could have been a positive, complex figure, but that was just out of reach.
- Some of the language was not what comes out of eighth graders' mouths. I get that Gracie had to differentiate between her moms, but calling one "Mommy" at 13 or 14? Seriously?
- Under-developed characters. This includes the protagonists, as evidenced in their indistinguishable voices, but this was also a problem with side characters. I feel like having Madison react differently to Helen, a former friend, and Gracie, a perceived nuisance, was just out of reach.
- This very much had a feel not only of a debut novel (which it is) but also of one that did not have strong support. Many of the problems I'm listing could have been solved with some critiquing and solid editing. This isn't an indie publication, either, it's from Scholastic Press. I expect better from that company.

In the end, I'm going to go with three stars. If the author reads this review, I hope she understands that I think she has a real diamond in the rough here, and that the Scholastic Press team let her down.

[Jenny Ashby · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a begrudging three stars based solely on the fact that I'm all in favor of doing whatever we can to remove some shame about having a period. It is NOT based on the story or the book in general, which did not work for me in many ways. Anyone reading this review should know that I was reading the book through a lens of it being used in a 7th /8th grade mixed-sex book club/discussion group, which made me extra aware of anything I thought would cause a reaction for the kids in the group (pretty much everything). So before I begin my discussion of things I don't like, let me say that I would have no problem having this book in my collection, and will be adding it to my next fiscal year order. Despite that...

It took me several chapters - more than it should have - to figure out which girl was which because their voices were too similar. In fact, it took me a couple of chapters to figure out that the voices were alternating between chapters (I am a fast reader and do not linger over chapter titles which would make that more clear). I eventually worked out that Helen is the smart one and Gracie is the flighty, artsy one. Other than that, they did not have much variation in their mannerisms or speech to make it obvious to me.

I'm not sure why Madison was so into this cause in the first place. I guess that's not something that HAS to be addressed, because it's just the vehicle for the main characters to get involved, but I did wonder.

It took the two main characters too long, IMO, to get the message that their antics were hindering the cause.

And finally, I'd like to say that the dialogue and some of the action is choppy and hard to follow, but I have to allow for the possibility that I might be too old for the dialogue because it was so full of non sequiturs and random statements that I had a hard time following it. Not just the dialogue - why was Gracie running down the hall screaming for Helen in the paper dress? I am wondering if my problems are like people 20 years older than me trying to understand "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" when it came out, so I can't 100% say that the book is disjointed.

I CAN say that my middle schoolers are not ready to have a discussion about rushing blood, cramping, and riding the crimson wave.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Period equity, friendship, reconciliation and negotiation are all covered in this timely novel for middle grade and younger YA readers. Gracie and Helen are the prankster queens at school and tighter than tight best friends, but when they go a bit too far, the principal decides that detention isn’t teaching them anything and forces them to join the Community Action Club in the hope that they will find a purpose beyond chaos. Currently the tyrannical leader of the group is striving to make menstrual products available in all school bathrooms and to develop teachers’ understanding of the needs of menstruating students which would include easier access to the bathroom when necessary. Due to some personal experiences with lack of available supplies, the duo does latch onto the project but their methods are far less mainstream than president Madison would like. In the end, the three girls and many student and adult supporters work to press the school board to provide for students’ menstrual needs. The focus of FREE PERIOD is important but I found the antics of Gracie and Helen off-putting and entirely unrealistic given their ages. Their constant and blatant disregard for rules and classmates plus the subsequent destruction of property is extreme and administration and parents would likely have taken more punitive measures long before those in the book. Speaking as an adult, I struggled to get the pranking parts and skimmed to the more purposeful passages. I am not sure how students in grades 5-9 will react and will leave that decision to librarians who know their library patrons. Text is free of profanity and sexual content is limited to one very small kiss. Representation: Characters’ physical traits are not a factor and race is difficult to determine leaving that up to the readers’ imagination; vocabulary indicates recognition that trans students may present as male but are still in the menstruating category thus making period products necessary in all restrooms and not just the girls’ room.

Another title covering period poverty: Code Red by Joy McCullough

Thanks for the print arc, Edelweiss.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Technically at least a 3.5-3.75.

The (barely) Gen Xer in me is pleased to see that this generation's tweens have more options that discuss periods and period equity. For those of us with Boomer or Boomer-cusp parents where this was a closed vault only to be cracked open by Our Patron Saint Judy Blume, it was a tough haul. With misogynistic legislation proposed left right and center, I'm not sure everyone's there yet, but any baby steps towards normalizing this kind of talk is a start

Geken and Grace are the Dynamic Duo of disaster at their school, renowned for their pranks and jokes. Then one of their scenes goes too far and their Principal issues them a challenge. She wants these two--whi seemingly don't take anything seriously to show concrete effort caring about *something.* Their entree into the school's community service club puts them at the same table as their nemesis Madison, but maybe--just maybe--a bold act of advocacy will bring them together (if it doesn't get them expelled first).

Fun,and sometimes surprisingly poignant as it addresses friendships and having to make difficult choices and compromise to get the change you want. A little over the top, but has heart. We see a number of adults make poor calls for various reasons, but I genuinely like to see parentals and teacher figures depicted with some nuance--not being saintly (and often dead/missing) or straight-up monsters. Now that I'm a parent myself I can appreciate the reality of doing your very best for your kid and still sometimes screwing it up.

My biggest complaint is just that I felt that Grace and Helen's voices were not differentiated nearly enough. The chapters alternated in perspective and the voice was so similar I hadn't immediately noticed. Of the two, I feel like I gave a slightly better grasp of Grace and her evolution more than Helen (I think?) but I'm not even confident enough to swear to it. Still, if the girls blurred together a bit, they were a fun blur, and I'm glad to see authors like Terese addressing how to start social change on a community level--honestly, it may be the only way we get anywhere.

[Stephanie Tournas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pair of devoted pals pushes the envelope on period equity in this hilarious middle grade novel. Helen, a brilliant scholar (whose family doesn’t even like to say the word ‘period’) and her best friend Gracie, whose two moms support their wildly creative daughter, are sentenced to ‘Community Action Club’ after one too many disruptive pranks. When archnemesis Madison proposes period equity as a club project, Helen and Gracie take it on in their inimitable style. But, their exploding blood cupcakes with a fondant maxi pad on top are not Madison’s idea of calmly convincing the school board to fund period products for the school. Along with friend drama, family interventions, the principal’s impatience with the two pranksters, and a few budding romances, this story is a non-stop, rollicking look at how to harness creativity for social change.

Chapters alternate between Helen’s and Gracie’s voices, and take us into the minds of friends whose first loyalties are to each other. I loved this close, loving relationship, as well as getting to know their families and friends through their funny, creative banter together. This wonderful novel is driven by their bigger than life personalities, and also makes a convincing, well researched plug for period equity.

It took me a while to be able to differentiate the two girls. It was also hard to believe that two kids would spend such a huge amount of time on school pranks, but younger readers may be able to suspend disbelief.