What do you think?
Rate this book
Just Ask Elsie
Elsie Parker is having a totally normal fifth grade year.
Fractions and conjunctions—check.
Stressing about middle school—check.
Body-positive puberty class at church that also covers feelings and identities—check.
Okay, maybe that last one isn’t so normal. It’s a little weird (and awkward) to spend her Sundays talking periods, B.O., and pimples. But Elsie’s also learning a lot more than she’s heard in her public-school health class — like the difference between sex and gender, and what consent is, and what it might mean that she can’t stop blushing around a certain cute girl at her school.
When her puberty lessons become the school’s latest gossip, Elsie’s totally humiliated… until she finds an anonymous note in her locker from a classmate who wants to know more, and realizes that other kids might have embarrassing questions of their own.
Starting an underground advice board wasn’t exactly in her plans, but Elsie won’t pass up a chance to turn her reputation around — or to share words and labels that have not-so-accidentally been left off their curriculum. But when the principal tries to shut down the unauthorized puberty talk, Elsie has to decide what she’s willing to risk to tell the truth to kids who really need to hear it.
Fractions and conjunctions—check.
Stressing about middle school—check.
Body-positive puberty class at church that also covers feelings and identities—check.
Okay, maybe that last one isn’t so normal. It’s a little weird (and awkward) to spend her Sundays talking periods, B.O., and pimples. But Elsie’s also learning a lot more than she’s heard in her public-school health class — like the difference between sex and gender, and what consent is, and what it might mean that she can’t stop blushing around a certain cute girl at her school.
When her puberty lessons become the school’s latest gossip, Elsie’s totally humiliated… until she finds an anonymous note in her locker from a classmate who wants to know more, and realizes that other kids might have embarrassing questions of their own.
Starting an underground advice board wasn’t exactly in her plans, but Elsie won’t pass up a chance to turn her reputation around — or to share words and labels that have not-so-accidentally been left off their curriculum. But when the principal tries to shut down the unauthorized puberty talk, Elsie has to decide what she’s willing to risk to tell the truth to kids who really need to hear it.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published June 16, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
November 2, 2025
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Macmillan for this ARC– this is my very first ARC ever and I'm so glad it's so special to me.
When this book comes out, I'm going to buy like at least three copies and leave them in the Little Libraries around town. Slightly more expensive than printing zines? Perhaps!! BUT IT'S A GOOD BOOK
First and foremost? A freaking gem of a book as far as being an entry point for discussing queer topics /and/ youth rights. Accurate information in accessible language? Amazing. I can be a little nitpicky about definitions of nonbinary as "in between" but frankly I feel like describing such a nebulous concept is a multi-step process anyway and I'm too busy being dazzled by the idea of church leaders knowing and speaking positively about the term at all to care too hard. AND they mention INTERSEX people and how SEX isn't even a binary so they get ONE MILLION POINTS anyway!!! (If I didn't know that the author was speaking from their own experiences with Unitarian Universalist churches, I would say the idea of a youth group but for (accurate, safe, nonjudgemental) sex and puberty ed is a fantastic imagining of the kind of supports I *wish* all kids had an inarguable right to, as human beings. The idea that some kids in real life have this sort of thing? And they don't just have to sneak onto the family computer and figure things out from what the feminist tumblr blogs were posting??? What???)
And yes, okay, you'd better believe I was feeling weird and personal about this whole thing. I think it's a good read for kids, and I also think it's got value for any adults who still feel their heart rate pick up when they try to talk about any queer stuff out loud. That's a problem other people have, right? Not just me? Elsie's dad, I think, was got to me most? We're slowly moving away from no-nuance "representation is king!" attitude, as a subculture, and overall I think that allows for more room to engage with diverse characters as *whole characters* and not just checkboxes for those traits that make them diverse– not a problem with this book, don't get me wrong, just something I've noticed elsewhere– but listen. I got so excited when it was revealed that Elsie's dad was a transgender man. A little bit teary.
But MOST IMPORTANTLY it's also just a solid kids book. It's got all the ingredients– Elsie is on the CUSP of fifth grade graduation, she has a best friend and a CRUSH, the adults in her life love her but don't quite get her, and her principal is out to GET her. It's a perfect sticking-it-to-the-man plot– Elsie puts herself out there for something she believes in, she gets shot down /hard,/ but her fellow students rally around her because now *they* believe what she believes in, too. I can't get too close to the spoiler zone, but this book sets a great balance between giving the children characters the driving force of the plot, and the vast majority of the agency, and providing the safe adult characters (including a nontraditional semi-guardian character respecting Elsie's decisions and showing that it kids should have a right to confide in adults other than their parents!!! parental rights do not trump all!!!! important!!!) roles where they can use their power to give the kids space for their own agency. It's also great about not only showing ways that the adults in a kid's life can and do make poor, harmful choices in the name of protection and safety, but also showing those adults either explicitly apologizing to Elsie or changing the way they go about supporting Elsie in order to better align with their values. That's a really balanced, mature approach, and one that I think is helpful for both sides of the audience.
This kind of book runs the risk of being overly sanitized, too clean and polished to click with anyone living in the real world– I don't think this book is. It's rosy, but it's a grounded kind of rosy. Elsie is a funny kid and a little liar and I love her dearly. She gets in trouble all the time for talking with her bestie in class and she's nervous about talking about her crush on a cool girl and she goes to her sperm-donor semi-guardian to help her copy informational zines because she doesn't know how to work a printer. Because she is eleven. She plays roblox and I love her.
(If I had to be picky? I think some of the pop culture references muddy the intended time period. Roblox as previously mentioned, is still timely enough that it works. But no fifth grader in the last ten years has had a poster of Edward Cullen on their locker, I pinky promise. Vintage Neopets? I'm not saying ten year olds can't have esoteric hobbies, but neopets ain't it. Elsie makes a Shrek 2 reference and I know she's an old soul raised by two (three?) nerdy millenials but it's too much. It's too much. Maybe I'm just not hanging out with enough kids who are into 2000-2010 era hobbies but those few things were distractingly out of time for me. If that's a thing that can be tweaked before publishing, I think it'll do wonders.)
It's a fine line, writing stories for kids, of not projecting too much of what the adult thinks childhood is like, or what the adult idealizes childhood to have been, onto what they make for children to read and internalize about themselves and their lives. I don't know if it's something any adult, self included, can do perfectly, or even reflect on accurately. But, through my own warped lens of adulthood, I think this book does a pretty good job.
When this book comes out, I'm going to buy like at least three copies and leave them in the Little Libraries around town. Slightly more expensive than printing zines? Perhaps!! BUT IT'S A GOOD BOOK
First and foremost? A freaking gem of a book as far as being an entry point for discussing queer topics /and/ youth rights. Accurate information in accessible language? Amazing. I can be a little nitpicky about definitions of nonbinary as "in between" but frankly I feel like describing such a nebulous concept is a multi-step process anyway and I'm too busy being dazzled by the idea of church leaders knowing and speaking positively about the term at all to care too hard. AND they mention INTERSEX people and how SEX isn't even a binary so they get ONE MILLION POINTS anyway!!! (If I didn't know that the author was speaking from their own experiences with Unitarian Universalist churches, I would say the idea of a youth group but for (accurate, safe, nonjudgemental) sex and puberty ed is a fantastic imagining of the kind of supports I *wish* all kids had an inarguable right to, as human beings. The idea that some kids in real life have this sort of thing? And they don't just have to sneak onto the family computer and figure things out from what the feminist tumblr blogs were posting??? What???)
And yes, okay, you'd better believe I was feeling weird and personal about this whole thing. I think it's a good read for kids, and I also think it's got value for any adults who still feel their heart rate pick up when they try to talk about any queer stuff out loud. That's a problem other people have, right? Not just me? Elsie's dad, I think, was got to me most? We're slowly moving away from no-nuance "representation is king!" attitude, as a subculture, and overall I think that allows for more room to engage with diverse characters as *whole characters* and not just checkboxes for those traits that make them diverse– not a problem with this book, don't get me wrong, just something I've noticed elsewhere– but listen. I got so excited when it was revealed that Elsie's dad was a transgender man. A little bit teary.
But MOST IMPORTANTLY it's also just a solid kids book. It's got all the ingredients– Elsie is on the CUSP of fifth grade graduation, she has a best friend and a CRUSH, the adults in her life love her but don't quite get her, and her principal is out to GET her. It's a perfect sticking-it-to-the-man plot– Elsie puts herself out there for something she believes in, she gets shot down /hard,/ but her fellow students rally around her because now *they* believe what she believes in, too. I can't get too close to the spoiler zone, but this book sets a great balance between giving the children characters the driving force of the plot, and the vast majority of the agency, and providing the safe adult characters (including a nontraditional semi-guardian character respecting Elsie's decisions and showing that it kids should have a right to confide in adults other than their parents!!! parental rights do not trump all!!!! important!!!) roles where they can use their power to give the kids space for their own agency. It's also great about not only showing ways that the adults in a kid's life can and do make poor, harmful choices in the name of protection and safety, but also showing those adults either explicitly apologizing to Elsie or changing the way they go about supporting Elsie in order to better align with their values. That's a really balanced, mature approach, and one that I think is helpful for both sides of the audience.
This kind of book runs the risk of being overly sanitized, too clean and polished to click with anyone living in the real world– I don't think this book is. It's rosy, but it's a grounded kind of rosy. Elsie is a funny kid and a little liar and I love her dearly. She gets in trouble all the time for talking with her bestie in class and she's nervous about talking about her crush on a cool girl and she goes to her sperm-donor semi-guardian to help her copy informational zines because she doesn't know how to work a printer. Because she is eleven. She plays roblox and I love her.
(If I had to be picky? I think some of the pop culture references muddy the intended time period. Roblox as previously mentioned, is still timely enough that it works. But no fifth grader in the last ten years has had a poster of Edward Cullen on their locker, I pinky promise. Vintage Neopets? I'm not saying ten year olds can't have esoteric hobbies, but neopets ain't it. Elsie makes a Shrek 2 reference and I know she's an old soul raised by two (three?) nerdy millenials but it's too much. It's too much. Maybe I'm just not hanging out with enough kids who are into 2000-2010 era hobbies but those few things were distractingly out of time for me. If that's a thing that can be tweaked before publishing, I think it'll do wonders.)
It's a fine line, writing stories for kids, of not projecting too much of what the adult thinks childhood is like, or what the adult idealizes childhood to have been, onto what they make for children to read and internalize about themselves and their lives. I don't know if it's something any adult, self included, can do perfectly, or even reflect on accurately. But, through my own warped lens of adulthood, I think this book does a pretty good job.
May 12, 2025
I absolutely adored this book and read it in two sittings. It’s heartwarming, sweet, warm, and deeply authentic—one of those stories that grabs hold of your heart and doesn’t let go. I loved every single one of the kids, but Elsie especially. I am ready to lay my life on the line for that girl. Her journey moved me so much, and I was bursting with happiness for her at the incredibly satisfying, beautiful ending.
The story explores its themes with such honesty and care—touching on puberty, identity, friendship, and family in ways that feel both gentle and true. Every relationship felt layered and real, and every page written with thoughtfulness and heart.
I’m so excited for young readers to discover this story. I know it’s going to be incredibly important for so many kids—the kind of book they’ll carry with them, the kind that makes them feel seen. What a gift.
The story explores its themes with such honesty and care—touching on puberty, identity, friendship, and family in ways that feel both gentle and true. Every relationship felt layered and real, and every page written with thoughtfulness and heart.
I’m so excited for young readers to discover this story. I know it’s going to be incredibly important for so many kids—the kind of book they’ll carry with them, the kind that makes them feel seen. What a gift.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Elsie is attending a Sunday school class at the Unitarian Universality church, where the kids are learning about puberty. Most of it feels awkward to Elsie, and it's even worse when her mom and dad (who is transgender) want to discuss what was covered. When people at her school find out that she is attending this class, she's made fun of by some students, but others ask her questions. She gets notes in her locker, and after consulting with Nate, her biological father, posts answers on her locker. She tells her mom and dad, who ask if she inquired about posting these things, since she could get in trouble. She eventually does, and is told that her information conflicts with the school sanctioned curriculum, where students get just one hour of instruction at the end of fifth grade. Elsie, who is just starting to realize that she might be attracted to girls, feels that the administration is really objecting to the LGBTQIA+ content. With the help of one of Nate's friends, she starts a zine to address some questions, and during an assembly, encourages her peers to pepper the principal with sex education questions on a wide range of topics. This gets her in more trouble, but when her parents all come to school, they mention that perhaps the ACLU could get involved. In the end, the decision is made to allow Elsie to answer questions with the help of the school counselor, and post answers by the counselor's door, out of the way of the main hall.
Strengths: I can't say that I have ever read a middle grade book with a character who goes to a Unitarian Universalist church, even though I have many friends who do. The class is a good one, and there is a laundry list of topics that it covers right in the beginning. Elsie acknowledges that while the class is awkward, talking with her parents would be worse. She makes a very reasoned attempt to inform her classmates, and I appreciated that she reached out to all of her parents for help at different times. Having her applying to a different school worked well for the plot, and added some tension. Fifth grade seems like a time when children are starting to figure out to whom they are attracted, and Elsie's exploration of her own feelings seems age appropriate. The author is from Ohio, where there is very little sex education mandated on any school level. It is a difficult topic, and not everyone agrees that this is the responsibility of public schools, so this book could start some good conversations.
Weaknesses: I could never buy into Elsie's motivation for spreading information, especially since it might have imperiled her acceptance into a school she really wants to attend. The parents' interactions with the principal also didn't really ring true to me. There would have to be district policy about posting things, and the principal wouldn't have much control over what was taught. Younger readers will not have these objections and will appreciate Elsie's outspoken perseverance to educate her classmates.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Lukoff's Different Kinds of Fruit or McCullough's Code Red. If you are considering purchasing this for an elementary school library, I would make sure to read the book so you know what it contains.
https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...
Elsie is attending a Sunday school class at the Unitarian Universality church, where the kids are learning about puberty. Most of it feels awkward to Elsie, and it's even worse when her mom and dad (who is transgender) want to discuss what was covered. When people at her school find out that she is attending this class, she's made fun of by some students, but others ask her questions. She gets notes in her locker, and after consulting with Nate, her biological father, posts answers on her locker. She tells her mom and dad, who ask if she inquired about posting these things, since she could get in trouble. She eventually does, and is told that her information conflicts with the school sanctioned curriculum, where students get just one hour of instruction at the end of fifth grade. Elsie, who is just starting to realize that she might be attracted to girls, feels that the administration is really objecting to the LGBTQIA+ content. With the help of one of Nate's friends, she starts a zine to address some questions, and during an assembly, encourages her peers to pepper the principal with sex education questions on a wide range of topics. This gets her in more trouble, but when her parents all come to school, they mention that perhaps the ACLU could get involved. In the end, the decision is made to allow Elsie to answer questions with the help of the school counselor, and post answers by the counselor's door, out of the way of the main hall.
Strengths: I can't say that I have ever read a middle grade book with a character who goes to a Unitarian Universalist church, even though I have many friends who do. The class is a good one, and there is a laundry list of topics that it covers right in the beginning. Elsie acknowledges that while the class is awkward, talking with her parents would be worse. She makes a very reasoned attempt to inform her classmates, and I appreciated that she reached out to all of her parents for help at different times. Having her applying to a different school worked well for the plot, and added some tension. Fifth grade seems like a time when children are starting to figure out to whom they are attracted, and Elsie's exploration of her own feelings seems age appropriate. The author is from Ohio, where there is very little sex education mandated on any school level. It is a difficult topic, and not everyone agrees that this is the responsibility of public schools, so this book could start some good conversations.
Weaknesses: I could never buy into Elsie's motivation for spreading information, especially since it might have imperiled her acceptance into a school she really wants to attend. The parents' interactions with the principal also didn't really ring true to me. There would have to be district policy about posting things, and the principal wouldn't have much control over what was taught. Younger readers will not have these objections and will appreciate Elsie's outspoken perseverance to educate her classmates.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Lukoff's Different Kinds of Fruit or McCullough's Code Red. If you are considering purchasing this for an elementary school library, I would make sure to read the book so you know what it contains.
https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...
August 2, 2026
I heard about this book at my local bookstore- the author had just come for a book event. I missed that sadly, but I read the book and loved it! I’m an adult who started reading middle grade books recently because I am writing one. Truthfully, middle grade books are a lot harder for me to get into than YA books. I’ve reread ones I loved as a kid, only to find myself bored with them now. This book was a really enjoyable book though! I kept forgetting I was reading it for craft reasons and felt like I was just reading for fun.
Ok now I’ll get to the point! The characters are really lovable and I felt like I knew them well. I liked that the adults were involved too. Elsie’s OWL (our whole lives, basically inclusive, LGBTQIA+ friendly puberty curriculum) was so cool! I grew up Christian and haven’t been religious for many years, but I was like huh this UU thing sounds pretty neat! Elsie’s interactions with her crush were super sweet and cute. I was so proud of Elsie and her friends. I was pissed at Mara (you’ll know when you get there) and was thinking Elsie no, don’t apologize to her! She’s being such a little brat! (which shows how protective of Elsie I felt as a reader). Then after Elsie apologized and she and Mara had a really productive conversation where they shared their feelings honestly and respectfully and Mara apologized too, I was like damn am I less mature than an 11 year old? 🤔 That being said, I did wonder if most of the kids in this book are a little too mature/wise for their age? Their dialogue seemed a bit too polished and eloquent, even when talking about tough issues. However, I’m not sure if I’m right about this and would love to hear if others think differently! I don’t have kids nor do I spend much time around children, so I could absolutely be off. And of course, all children are different so I’m sure there are 11 year olds out there that are similar to Elsie.
I also loved Nadia’s mom. I adore that Nadia knew what zines were because her mom was “punk in college” and shared her protest stories with her. So lovely!
Overall, an excellent read! I’m so happy that kids have a book like this so they can see positive representation, learn a bit about LGBTQ+ identities and puberty, and learn that it’s normal to have tons of “awkward” questions about our bodies! ❤️🌈
Ok now I’ll get to the point! The characters are really lovable and I felt like I knew them well. I liked that the adults were involved too. Elsie’s OWL (our whole lives, basically inclusive, LGBTQIA+ friendly puberty curriculum) was so cool! I grew up Christian and haven’t been religious for many years, but I was like huh this UU thing sounds pretty neat! Elsie’s interactions with her crush were super sweet and cute. I was so proud of Elsie and her friends. I was pissed at Mara (you’ll know when you get there) and was thinking Elsie no, don’t apologize to her! She’s being such a little brat! (which shows how protective of Elsie I felt as a reader). Then after Elsie apologized and she and Mara had a really productive conversation where they shared their feelings honestly and respectfully and Mara apologized too, I was like damn am I less mature than an 11 year old? 🤔 That being said, I did wonder if most of the kids in this book are a little too mature/wise for their age? Their dialogue seemed a bit too polished and eloquent, even when talking about tough issues. However, I’m not sure if I’m right about this and would love to hear if others think differently! I don’t have kids nor do I spend much time around children, so I could absolutely be off. And of course, all children are different so I’m sure there are 11 year olds out there that are similar to Elsie.
I also loved Nadia’s mom. I adore that Nadia knew what zines were because her mom was “punk in college” and shared her protest stories with her. So lovely!
Overall, an excellent read! I’m so happy that kids have a book like this so they can see positive representation, learn a bit about LGBTQ+ identities and puberty, and learn that it’s normal to have tons of “awkward” questions about our bodies! ❤️🌈
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 15, 2025
This book was so hopeful and inspiring. I loved how driven the main character was and how she had great support in her life from both family and friends. She stood up for something important to her and it was amazing.
(Note: I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity.)
Read For
✓ Middle Grade
✓ Character Growth
✓ Queer Characters
✓ Good Friendships
✓ Supportive Family
𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊
Sad Level: 💧
Plot: 8/10
Pace: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Characters: 9/10
Enjoyability: 9/10
Writing Style: 10/10
Would I Recommend? Yes
Favorite Character: Elsie
Favorite Quote: ❝ “I think you did great, Els,” he said. “That was amazing to watch. I’m honored to have been a coconspirator in this rebel plot, even if we didn’t fully blow up the Death Star.” ❞
POV: First Person
Pages: 272
Format: Ebook
Language: English
Release Date: 16, June 2026
Rep/Extras: Trans Man (side character), Queer Diversity
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 where applicable, 5.0 everywhere else.
This is such a fun and important read. It starts the focus solely on puberty and how it is often an extremely awkward time for kids - and sometimes their parents - when they reach those ages. It develops further into how this also includes gender and identity and how puberty can be even more difficult for anyone not cis and straight. Then, of course, it tackles kids learning to and using their voices to express themselves and fighting for their rights and equality. Like I said, an important read and one for readers of all ages. It can even help start those conversations since some information is already provided in the story, potentially making kids comfortable to ask their own. Add in some typical friendship drama that ties into the puberty topic - crushes - and super supportive parents, and that's the meat of this book.
I will be highly recommending this book to everyone I can.
Thank you NetGalley and publishers for allowing me to read this eARC.
This is such a fun and important read. It starts the focus solely on puberty and how it is often an extremely awkward time for kids - and sometimes their parents - when they reach those ages. It develops further into how this also includes gender and identity and how puberty can be even more difficult for anyone not cis and straight. Then, of course, it tackles kids learning to and using their voices to express themselves and fighting for their rights and equality. Like I said, an important read and one for readers of all ages. It can even help start those conversations since some information is already provided in the story, potentially making kids comfortable to ask their own. Add in some typical friendship drama that ties into the puberty topic - crushes - and super supportive parents, and that's the meat of this book.
I will be highly recommending this book to everyone I can.
Thank you NetGalley and publishers for allowing me to read this eARC.
August 7, 2026
Why does learning about your own body have to be considered 'inappropriate'? Elsie Parker is a 5th grade students enrolled in a puberty class at her Unitarian Church. When kids at her school overhear about this class, some choose to make fun of her while others use this opportunity to ask Elsie their own questions about puberty. Elsie decides that the school provided puberty hour (which won't happen until the end of 5th grade) isn't going to help with the burning questions that her peers have right now! She decides to start her own anonymous advice board where students can ask their questions. With a diverse cast of characters, relevant growing pains and friendship dilemmas and first crushes, and disapproving admin, this book is sure to keep preteens interested throughout!
I think this would make a great addition to a middle school library because there is so much content that kids will find deeply relatable. The story is fast paced and you can't help but root for sweet Elsie!
Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this book!
I think this would make a great addition to a middle school library because there is so much content that kids will find deeply relatable. The story is fast paced and you can't help but root for sweet Elsie!
Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this book!
August 11, 2026
Loved how this book tackled body positivity, identity, and activism in a way that will feel real and accessible to middle grade readers. Elsie doesn't set out to be an activist at first--she simply appreciate's her church's puberty curriculum and finds that other kids have questions too, and she wants to answer them. She isn't trying to make a huge statement or rail against the system; she just wants to help. She's even occasionally slightly embarrassed about the attention and wonders if she should just quit, which seems so relatable. I also loved that there were a range of adults in Elsie's life who reacted to her efforts with varying levels of support (including very supportive parents who also justifiably worried a bit about people's reactions to what their daughter was doing). It was great to see the Unitarian Universalist church represented as well, since that's a perspective many kids will have never encountered.
Overall, an engaging story with characters kids will relate to!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book.
Overall, an engaging story with characters kids will relate to!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5/5 stars
Just Ask Elsie is a middle grade novel about a fifth-grader who decides to take puberty education into her own hands by starting an anonymous advice board.
I really enjoyed this book. It was a very quick read, and it’s a very important story for kids to read so they can understand the importance of puberty education. It also has a very queer cast of characters, all of whom I loved.
I loved Elsie as a character. She was very funny, and I loved watching her accept her own queerness and girl-crush. She was naïve and makes questionable at times, but she’s a fifth-grader.
Parts of this story, especially about things like puberty and gender identity, were a little too formal and info-dump-like. But for the purposes of wanting to inform middle grade readers about these things, I do understand the choice.
I enjoyed this book, and if you want an easy yet important middle grade read, this book is for you!
CW: queerphobia; bullying; religious bigotry (hinted at)
Just Ask Elsie is a middle grade novel about a fifth-grader who decides to take puberty education into her own hands by starting an anonymous advice board.
I really enjoyed this book. It was a very quick read, and it’s a very important story for kids to read so they can understand the importance of puberty education. It also has a very queer cast of characters, all of whom I loved.
I loved Elsie as a character. She was very funny, and I loved watching her accept her own queerness and girl-crush. She was naïve and makes questionable at times, but she’s a fifth-grader.
Parts of this story, especially about things like puberty and gender identity, were a little too formal and info-dump-like. But for the purposes of wanting to inform middle grade readers about these things, I do understand the choice.
I enjoyed this book, and if you want an easy yet important middle grade read, this book is for you!
CW: queerphobia; bullying; religious bigotry (hinted at)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book has such beautiful representation, especially for a group of kids who when they are highlighted in a book, they normally never focus on their slowly growing questions. I really liked this book. Was it hard to read sometimes as a mother whose kiddo is so close to going through this yes. But I think that is what makes this book so special. I remember as a child getting the changing body book, and that book like the kids in this book, really didn’t help answer many questions that I had. I also love how it touches on LGBTQ+ questions about identity and who you like. This book just truly makes some difficult questions kids might have feel maybe a bit more approachable. I also really like how the school counselor ended up solving the issue Elsie was having. Kids deserve a safe space to talk about tough things.
Thank you to Macmillan Children’s Press and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.
Thank you to Macmillan Children’s Press and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.
Read
August 6, 2026I read this really quickly when it came in cuz it's a very new middlegrade book and I didn't want to hold onto it for any longer than I had to.
Elsie is a suuuuper fun character to follow; she's absolutely precious and adorable. The book is largely about the power of unification and knowledge, and delivers great messages in that regard. Elsie continuously pushes back against the wrong authority figures and I think one of the best aspects is that it lets her figure things out on her own. Like, for example, when her advice column keeps getting taken down, she pieces it together herself that it's LGBTQ prejudice. Little things like that are what make the story and her arc enjoyable to follow. I don't think it's quite on the level of "even if you're an adult, go read this" but if you want a sweet, cute story that you know ends well, this is great for that. Also, she develops her first crush on another girl and ahhhh muh heart ;_;
Elsie is a suuuuper fun character to follow; she's absolutely precious and adorable. The book is largely about the power of unification and knowledge, and delivers great messages in that regard. Elsie continuously pushes back against the wrong authority figures and I think one of the best aspects is that it lets her figure things out on her own. Like, for example, when her advice column keeps getting taken down, she pieces it together herself that it's LGBTQ prejudice. Little things like that are what make the story and her arc enjoyable to follow. I don't think it's quite on the level of "even if you're an adult, go read this" but if you want a sweet, cute story that you know ends well, this is great for that. Also, she develops her first crush on another girl and ahhhh muh heart ;_;
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
*4.25 Stars*
I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was really good. It spoke of subjects that were important and I liked how it was brought on. i also really liked Elsie, she was really brave and layered. She kept being treated unfairly but she kept rising and that was great, I think. I just really like this story, it was hopeful and gripping and quite a fast read. I also liked the side characters and the family dynamics were different and interesting. I just thought this was a good middle grade. There was so many layers to this book and I really enjoyed being there next to our main character. I'll definitely be reading more books by this author.
I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was really good. It spoke of subjects that were important and I liked how it was brought on. i also really liked Elsie, she was really brave and layered. She kept being treated unfairly but she kept rising and that was great, I think. I just really like this story, it was hopeful and gripping and quite a fast read. I also liked the side characters and the family dynamics were different and interesting. I just thought this was a good middle grade. There was so many layers to this book and I really enjoyed being there next to our main character. I'll definitely be reading more books by this author.
Review of advance copy received from Author
JUST ASK ELSIE follows brave, creative, and pragmatic Elsie, who is determined to share information from her church’s uniquely candid puberty class with the other kids at school. When her efforts include sharing information about LGBTQIA+ identities, she is suddenly in trouble and warned to discontinue her efforts. Elsie, her best friend Mara, and her crush Nadia must get creative and work together to find a way to continue to bring essential puberty education to their peers.
.
This was such a great story about such a tricky subject! I absolutely *adored* the family dynamics (hello, trans dad rep!), and the protest Elsie and her friends organize had me cheering as I was reading. It was also really nice to read a book with LGBTQ+-supportive church rep in it.
.
This was such a great story about such a tricky subject! I absolutely *adored* the family dynamics (hello, trans dad rep!), and the protest Elsie and her friends organize had me cheering as I was reading. It was also really nice to read a book with LGBTQ+-supportive church rep in it.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Wow!! What a wonderful, timely, and important book!
Elsie tackles puberty, sexuality, and censorship with a determination I admire so much. She’s a voice in a void, and one that feels all too familiar—my own rural school system growing up offered almost nothing when it came to these topics, and I know that for many, that hasn’t changed much since the 90s/early 2000s. But brave, fierce, creative Elsie understands the importance of sharing information that can help others, even in the face of difficult authority figures.
Elsie, Mara, Nadia, and all the adults (especially Nate and Dad) are written so well—I loved getting to know them all on Elsie’s activism journey! This book is a heartfelt gem of a story, and I highly recommend it for classroom shelves everywhere!
Elsie tackles puberty, sexuality, and censorship with a determination I admire so much. She’s a voice in a void, and one that feels all too familiar—my own rural school system growing up offered almost nothing when it came to these topics, and I know that for many, that hasn’t changed much since the 90s/early 2000s. But brave, fierce, creative Elsie understands the importance of sharing information that can help others, even in the face of difficult authority figures.
Elsie, Mara, Nadia, and all the adults (especially Nate and Dad) are written so well—I loved getting to know them all on Elsie’s activism journey! This book is a heartfelt gem of a story, and I highly recommend it for classroom shelves everywhere!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Make way for Elsie! What a powerful book this is. I put it down and was inspired to become an activist like Elsie. She is so relatable and I think young readers will connect with her. I just want to hang out with her and her family! Her mom, dad, and Nate were fantastic characters that all felt fully fleshed out. Nadia was an intriguing love interest and has just the type of personality that flows well with Elsie's. Mara is the best friend I'd want on my team. This book is educational without being a textbook; I learned as I enjoyed the story, and I'm so excited for young readers to hopefully do the same.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Children's, and Feiwel & Friends for the free e-ARC.
Giving this 4 stars. This is a great middle-grade book about self-discovery and friendship, but also about the importance of asking questions and advocating for yourself. It's a reminder, in fictional form, that comprehensive sex and puberty education is critical, and that we as a country need to do better teaching our kids.
I would definitely consider sharing something like this with my niece and nephews once they're older. It won't teach kids everything they need to know, but it would be a great conversation starter.
Giving this 4 stars. This is a great middle-grade book about self-discovery and friendship, but also about the importance of asking questions and advocating for yourself. It's a reminder, in fictional form, that comprehensive sex and puberty education is critical, and that we as a country need to do better teaching our kids.
I would definitely consider sharing something like this with my niece and nephews once they're older. It won't teach kids everything they need to know, but it would be a great conversation starter.
May 25, 2026
JUST ASK ELSIE is inspiring and full of heart, with an important message about activism. There is a huge need for books that normalize puberty and discussing gender and sexuality, and this book fills that need big time! Elsie is a brave and bold protagonist, who not only navigates sharing knowledge about puberty, but friend drama, her first crush, and the end of elementary school. Would recommend to any young person who needs to hear that they’re not alone or weird for having questions!
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
A great middle grade novel about speaking up for timely information about puberty and sexuality and gender and all the things that fifth-graders have questions about but may be embarrassed to ask. Definite Judy Blume vibes in the realistic portrayal of diverse families, frank conversations, and plenty of humor.
Thanks to Feiwel & Friends and Edelweiss for the e-arc.
Thanks to Feiwel & Friends and Edelweiss for the e-arc.
June 24, 2026
Elsie is so brave! So punk rock! What a beautiful and hopeful and encouraging and inspiring read! To ask questions, to advocate for yourself, to find community, to band together, to allow the support of others to lift you up. To educate!!! To use your voice for good! Fist bumping through the whole climax. What a marvelous debut novel from Ari Koontz I almost can’t believe it!
Review of advance copy received from Author
In a world filled with Charlottes, be an Elsie!
Just Ask Elsie is a brave, beautiful, important book for middle grade readers. Ari Koontz's debut oozes with heart!
Just Ask Elsie is a brave, beautiful, important book for middle grade readers. Ari Koontz's debut oozes with heart!
July 20, 2026
Beautiful, important, fun, hopeful, heartening - loved it!
August 17, 2026
4.5 stars rounded up. I remember being in middle grade and having health class. Most of what we learned was the reproductive organs of boys and girls, how babies were conceived (just the "natural" way) and that we were all embarrassed. We did get to anonymously leave questions for the teacher to read out and answer though, which was probably the most helpful. We still have a long way to go with teaching kids about puberty and sex and being a teen in today's society. I loved everything about this book. Elsie was such a curious kid who just wanted to get more information than one crappy old video about puberty. Kids deserve to know what's happening to their bodies and friends' bodies and have questions that should be answered. People are very divided about how much should be taught in school versus at home but since you can't count on parents or the school system, kids learn from each other or random websites. I loved how Elsie is from a three parent family with a mom, a trans dad and a bio "DNA" dad whos is just as much a part of her life as the parents she lives with. Elsie's crush is adorable and her relationship with her best friend was very realistic. As was the principal's reaction to Elsie trying to spread information about sex, puberty, gender identities and sexual orientations through different methods at school. It sucked it had to go the way it does to be able to give more freedom to information at the school but it was nice to see it happen anyway. I was impressed with the topics Elsie covered in her zine and think this should be reading material available in all middle school libraries.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is the first book I’ve requested to read through NetGalley, and I was very excited to have the chance to read it since middle-grade with pride flag is one of my favorite genres.
The book opens with eleven-year-old Elsie attending Our Whole Lives, or OWL, which is a class at her church for kids to learn about family and development and discuss it to a greater extent than in school, supposedly. At school, Elsie becomes concerned that her classmates won’t have as much education about Their Whole Lives since they aren’t in her class, so she decides to teach them herself.
The first chapter gives an in-depth description of male and female bodies that I believe is meant to normalize the vocabulary, but then there aren’t many more teaching moments for the remainder of the story. The author doesn’t do much to ease the (probably young) readers into this discussion, and at Elsie’s age, I probably wouldn’t have been willing to continue reading.
The main issue I had with this book was how Elsie didn’t have a real, relatable motivation for her plan. Elsie repeatedly says that the one hour of information the school will provide is not comparable to OWL, just from what she heard from her friend’s older brother. She seems so passionate about teaching kids about their bodies developing, yet she’s not shown to want to talk about it with adults (her parents or the OWL teachers), she's not shown to be continuously bullied for the class so that she needs to take action, and, what I thought would be the most important in this book, Elsie is not shown to be experiencing her own body changing personally.
There’s very little serious discussion, and Elsie kept doing things that she knew could ruin her school record without talking about it first with adults. This book didn’t feel either educational or empowering like I had imagined it would be. The way that I read it, as an adult now who did comparable dumb projects as a fifth-grader, Elsie just seemed to want attention. I feel like it would have been different if the book started with the in-school video as a starting point to build a discussion rather than Elsie constructing everything herself when it had not initially been a problem.
As the book is, I sort of wish it had just stuck to Elsie addressing LGBTQIA+ identities rather than focusing on puberty as well. The side plot is Elsie navigating her crush on a girl in her class and coming out, plus hearing stories about her dad’s experience being transgender when his elementary school didn’t support him. She doesn’t have any personal motivation for wanting to normalize teenage bodies because she isn’t dealing with those changes yet herself. The comments that she wrote on the board sounded like something an adult would write, like Elsie copied down definitions from the internet, and not something a kid reading this would relate to or learn from. If the point of the book is to normalize these topics for kids, it needed to display both kid and adult perspectives. I feel like both were done weakly.
The overall message of this book was important: changing educational systems doesn’t happen all at once, and people need to stand up when issues are being ignored in order to fix them. There were some great lines about why information needs to be accessible to everyone, and I’m disappointed I didn’t enjoy Just Ask Elsie since I see that a lot of other people did.
The book opens with eleven-year-old Elsie attending Our Whole Lives, or OWL, which is a class at her church for kids to learn about family and development and discuss it to a greater extent than in school, supposedly. At school, Elsie becomes concerned that her classmates won’t have as much education about Their Whole Lives since they aren’t in her class, so she decides to teach them herself.
The first chapter gives an in-depth description of male and female bodies that I believe is meant to normalize the vocabulary, but then there aren’t many more teaching moments for the remainder of the story. The author doesn’t do much to ease the (probably young) readers into this discussion, and at Elsie’s age, I probably wouldn’t have been willing to continue reading.
The main issue I had with this book was how Elsie didn’t have a real, relatable motivation for her plan. Elsie repeatedly says that the one hour of information the school will provide is not comparable to OWL, just from what she heard from her friend’s older brother. She seems so passionate about teaching kids about their bodies developing, yet she’s not shown to want to talk about it with adults (her parents or the OWL teachers), she's not shown to be continuously bullied for the class so that she needs to take action, and, what I thought would be the most important in this book, Elsie is not shown to be experiencing her own body changing personally.
There’s very little serious discussion, and Elsie kept doing things that she knew could ruin her school record without talking about it first with adults. This book didn’t feel either educational or empowering like I had imagined it would be. The way that I read it, as an adult now who did comparable dumb projects as a fifth-grader, Elsie just seemed to want attention. I feel like it would have been different if the book started with the in-school video as a starting point to build a discussion rather than Elsie constructing everything herself when it had not initially been a problem.
As the book is, I sort of wish it had just stuck to Elsie addressing LGBTQIA+ identities rather than focusing on puberty as well. The side plot is Elsie navigating her crush on a girl in her class and coming out, plus hearing stories about her dad’s experience being transgender when his elementary school didn’t support him. She doesn’t have any personal motivation for wanting to normalize teenage bodies because she isn’t dealing with those changes yet herself. The comments that she wrote on the board sounded like something an adult would write, like Elsie copied down definitions from the internet, and not something a kid reading this would relate to or learn from. If the point of the book is to normalize these topics for kids, it needed to display both kid and adult perspectives. I feel like both were done weakly.
The overall message of this book was important: changing educational systems doesn’t happen all at once, and people need to stand up when issues are being ignored in order to fix them. There were some great lines about why information needs to be accessible to everyone, and I’m disappointed I didn’t enjoy Just Ask Elsie since I see that a lot of other people did.
June 26, 2025
I got to read an early copy of this and omg I was smiling and laughing the WHOLE time. As a middle school teacher, Elsie felt like a truly pitch perfect 5th grader!!! Just so open to the world and the concrete thinking shifting into deeper introspection/emotions and the PERFECT relationship with her parents (who are amazing btw) and her friendships and CRUSH 😭😭😭 I loved all the puberty stuff too. It’s done in such a queer-inclusive way! Fans of The World Divided by Piper would love this. It’s going to be life changing for readers who have questions they’re scared to ask and need to hear that feeling different or nervous is a beautiful part of growing up. I wish I could give this to my younger self and am so happy for the current kids who will get to read this!
November 6, 2025
This was a quick, easy, and enjoyable read. What drew my interest was when the description mentioned she was learning more in her Sunday class than in school and realizing that kids in her school might be interested to learn more about the changes in their bodies. Admittedly, I had never heard of a Unitarian Universalist church before and thought it, and the class Elsie is in, was fake. A quick Google search proved otherwise.
I admire Elsie for standing up for what she believes. So often we try to blend in and not cause a scene. To see her character grow- from recognizing feelings, working on new and old relationships, finding her voice, and considering her future at her dream school- was wonderful.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
I admire Elsie for standing up for what she believes. So often we try to blend in and not cause a scene. To see her character grow- from recognizing feelings, working on new and old relationships, finding her voice, and considering her future at her dream school- was wonderful.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
December 16, 2025
What a great book about perseverance, bravery, and friends. Elsie and her class at school and Sunday services are learning about puberty, and they have questions. Elsie puts a paper box outside her locker after someone leaves a note in her locker asking a puberty question. She is told she can’t do that. Then she and Nadia, who Elise like likes, helps her design a zine, and they put it in lockers. Elsie gets in trouble. Nadia says there must be more we can do. They realize there’s an assembly on Friday. What do they end up doing?
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
this one was so sweet, i sat down and read it in one seating as a break from finals! it's hard to find a book about kids learning advocacy and activism that doesn't read like a sermon, and i really loved this one. it's got a heartfelt core that makes me think the author has been around kids -- i was definitely getting into things like this when i was elsie's age. i also loved the dynamic between their unconventional family. and shoutout UU OWL program!!! i worked at one of those for about a year and they're doing great stuff for those kids. was super cool to see representation of that experience in this book. :)
November 17, 2025
This book was full of fantastic representations. Definitely a great book to read along with your middle grade kid or at least buddy read. There are lots of great subjects brought up that could have questions and would be wonderful conversations to have with the middle school kid. It’s so relatable to what they would be going through. I loved how the kids all came together to stand up with Elsie for a better education. This was such a fun book. Highly recommended!!
June 19, 2026
I got the unbelievable chance to read an early copy of this book and can attest it is a 14/10 heartwarming take on exploring gender and sexuality through a middle grade lens. I WISH I had this book when I was younger because I think it would have helped me to feel so seen. Koontz is a stellar writer and this debut is going to knock people's socks off.
March 4, 2026
A fresh, fierce, and funny puberty story about making your voice heard!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews