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Good Different #2
Perfect Enough
The companion novel to the beloved and award-winning Good Different.Selah is a dragon.Or at least, she feels like one. And she finally figured out how to spread her wings and soar.Armed with her sensory tools, her notebooks and poems, and her newfound knowledge about her autism, Selah is heading to writing camp for the summer. She's excited to work on her writing, perform at the final showcase, and to meet more kids like her.Things aren't so simple though. As soon as she arrives, she realizes that her bully from home is there too. Ezra is chaotic, attention-seeking, and always teasing her.Selah is determined not to let him ruin her summer. But soon it turns out that it's not just Ezra causing problems. . . . As kind and enthusiastic as Selah's new friends are, they don't fully understand her autism and how overwhelming this new environment is for her.Friend drama, classes, overstimulation, and her relationship with Ezra all start to feel like a lot. But surely Selah can make it through just a few weeks without reaching her breaking point again . . . right?
352 pages, Hardcover
First published June 2, 2026
About the author
Meg Eden Kuyatt
7 books155 followersMeg Eden Kuyatt is a 2020 Pitch Wars mentee, and teaches creative writing at Anne Arundel Community College. She is the author of the 2021 Towson Prize for Literature winning poetry collection “Drowning in the Floating World” (Press 53, 2020) and children’s novels, most recently “Good Different” (Scholastic, 2023). Find her online at www.megedenbooks.com or on Twitter at @ConfusedNarwhal and Instagram at @meden_author.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
In this sequel to Good Different, Selah is cautiously excited about attending a summer Writers' Camp at a university. She will be there with her long time friends Brooklyn and Rheya, but is concerned that she will become overwhelmed. This is something that can happen because she has autism, but she has some good coping strategies in place. Her mother is reluctant to let her go, but her grandfather, Pop, supports her. Selah worries that if she can't last a few weeks at camp, her mother will never let her do anything. She sets off with her tools like earplugs, fidgets, and sunglasses, and is excited to work on her poetry so that she can get a start on being a real writer. Her counselor, Noa, is understanding, since she also has autism and is in a wheelchair due to long COVID. Brooklyn and Rheya say that they don't want any drama during the summer, so Selah tries to not freak out, even when there are masses of ladybugs in the room. When Brooklyn and Rheya decide to do a film for their group project without consulting her, she's not happy, but tries to power through. A boy who has given her trouble back at her private Pebblecreek school, Ezra, is at the camp, but when the two are paired on a writing project, Selah finds that the two may have some things in common. Ezra has ADHD, which is what causes his exuberant behavior that irritates Selah. They find some common interests, and Selah finds it more calming to be with her than her friends sometimes, which irritates them. Brooklyn doesn't seem to really understand that Selah is sensitive to lights and noise, and Selah ends up trying to sleep in the dorm library because of the interference. When she mentions it to her roommates, Rheya seems to understand, but Brooklyn just laughs it off. This eventually causes Selah to call her mother and asks to come home. She ends up staying, but talks a lot to Noa about how she has to protect her health. This is especially important when everything becomes too much for her and she can't get out of bed. Selah talks to Pop, who lets her know that coming home doesn't mean that she can't ever succeed; it just means that she is overwhelmed right now. Brooklyn is upset because Selah hasn't been upfront with her, and claims that "real friends tell each other things". Brooklyn is, of course, having her own problems, and her parents aren't very attentive to her. Selah goes home, but has a new friendship with Ezra, a new understanding with her friends, and a new perspective in starting the upcoming school year and Old Mill Middle School.
Strengths: While many middle grade novels depict traditional outdoor summer camps, special interest camps at universities seem to be more prevalent today. There are certainly many camps for writing and computer programming, and spending time on a campus is an intriguing proposition for young readers. It was realistic to see the difficulties that Selah had with Brooklyn and Rheya; hanging out for a few hours is completely different than having to live with your friends 24/7! It was quite fascinating to see Selah and Ezra becoming friends and bonding over their neurodiverse brains, and it was good to explore how tweens might hate when people make assumptions about them even while they are making assumptions about others. The mother's overprotection was on point, and I was curious as to how Pop's was able to encourage Selah to listen to her mother while he was still driving despite some opposition. There might be another book possible detailing Selah's entrance into her new public middle school.
Weaknesses: While it is admirable that Selah wants to be a writer focusing on poetry, I would still like to see more books depicting tweens who are interested in careers that will be more in demand, such as STEM careers, child care, or math related occupations. I was a big fan of the 1950s career romances that encouraged girls to become physical therapists, nurses, copy editors, or librarians (which AT THE TIME was not a bad choice). It makes sense that authors are creating books about wanting to write, but it would be more useful to broaden the scope of jobs for tweens.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Hicks' Inbetweens, Montague's Camp Frenemies, or Fajardo's Miss Camper.
In this sequel to Good Different, Selah is cautiously excited about attending a summer Writers' Camp at a university. She will be there with her long time friends Brooklyn and Rheya, but is concerned that she will become overwhelmed. This is something that can happen because she has autism, but she has some good coping strategies in place. Her mother is reluctant to let her go, but her grandfather, Pop, supports her. Selah worries that if she can't last a few weeks at camp, her mother will never let her do anything. She sets off with her tools like earplugs, fidgets, and sunglasses, and is excited to work on her poetry so that she can get a start on being a real writer. Her counselor, Noa, is understanding, since she also has autism and is in a wheelchair due to long COVID. Brooklyn and Rheya say that they don't want any drama during the summer, so Selah tries to not freak out, even when there are masses of ladybugs in the room. When Brooklyn and Rheya decide to do a film for their group project without consulting her, she's not happy, but tries to power through. A boy who has given her trouble back at her private Pebblecreek school, Ezra, is at the camp, but when the two are paired on a writing project, Selah finds that the two may have some things in common. Ezra has ADHD, which is what causes his exuberant behavior that irritates Selah. They find some common interests, and Selah finds it more calming to be with her than her friends sometimes, which irritates them. Brooklyn doesn't seem to really understand that Selah is sensitive to lights and noise, and Selah ends up trying to sleep in the dorm library because of the interference. When she mentions it to her roommates, Rheya seems to understand, but Brooklyn just laughs it off. This eventually causes Selah to call her mother and asks to come home. She ends up staying, but talks a lot to Noa about how she has to protect her health. This is especially important when everything becomes too much for her and she can't get out of bed. Selah talks to Pop, who lets her know that coming home doesn't mean that she can't ever succeed; it just means that she is overwhelmed right now. Brooklyn is upset because Selah hasn't been upfront with her, and claims that "real friends tell each other things". Brooklyn is, of course, having her own problems, and her parents aren't very attentive to her. Selah goes home, but has a new friendship with Ezra, a new understanding with her friends, and a new perspective in starting the upcoming school year and Old Mill Middle School.
Strengths: While many middle grade novels depict traditional outdoor summer camps, special interest camps at universities seem to be more prevalent today. There are certainly many camps for writing and computer programming, and spending time on a campus is an intriguing proposition for young readers. It was realistic to see the difficulties that Selah had with Brooklyn and Rheya; hanging out for a few hours is completely different than having to live with your friends 24/7! It was quite fascinating to see Selah and Ezra becoming friends and bonding over their neurodiverse brains, and it was good to explore how tweens might hate when people make assumptions about them even while they are making assumptions about others. The mother's overprotection was on point, and I was curious as to how Pop's was able to encourage Selah to listen to her mother while he was still driving despite some opposition. There might be another book possible detailing Selah's entrance into her new public middle school.
Weaknesses: While it is admirable that Selah wants to be a writer focusing on poetry, I would still like to see more books depicting tweens who are interested in careers that will be more in demand, such as STEM careers, child care, or math related occupations. I was a big fan of the 1950s career romances that encouraged girls to become physical therapists, nurses, copy editors, or librarians (which AT THE TIME was not a bad choice). It makes sense that authors are creating books about wanting to write, but it would be more useful to broaden the scope of jobs for tweens.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Hicks' Inbetweens, Montague's Camp Frenemies, or Fajardo's Miss Camper.
January 25, 2026
Got this ARC through Scholastic and I’m really excited to put it into my middle school library! I’m a librarian with ADHD and I loved the way it teaches about neurodiversity in a way that makes sense. I also love a novel in verse!
June 2, 2026
A middle grade companion novel to Good Different.
✍🏾
Autistic seventh grader Selah is excited to spend the summer at writing camp, where she hopes to improve her craft, perform her work, and meet kids who understand her. But camp quickly becomes more complicated when her longtime bully, Ezra, shows up too. As she navigates new friendships, sensory overload, and the challenges of being understood, Selah must learn how to advocate for herself and share her voice and writing with others.
📝
I loved this novel-in-verse and was so happy to return to Selah and her life. Her voice is authentic, relatable, and full of heart, and I appreciated how honestly the book portrays the realities of autism, sensory overload, and the desire to be understood. The writing camp setting was the perfect backdrop for a story about finding your voice, both as a writer and as a person. Watching Selah navigate friendships, self-advocacy, and growth made this an emotional and empowering read that I think will resonate with many middle grade readers. Happy pub day!
CW: parental abandonment, panic attack, bullying
It was hard to top the original. I just loved that one so much, not to say this one isn’t a great addition.
✍🏾
Autistic seventh grader Selah is excited to spend the summer at writing camp, where she hopes to improve her craft, perform her work, and meet kids who understand her. But camp quickly becomes more complicated when her longtime bully, Ezra, shows up too. As she navigates new friendships, sensory overload, and the challenges of being understood, Selah must learn how to advocate for herself and share her voice and writing with others.
📝
I loved this novel-in-verse and was so happy to return to Selah and her life. Her voice is authentic, relatable, and full of heart, and I appreciated how honestly the book portrays the realities of autism, sensory overload, and the desire to be understood. The writing camp setting was the perfect backdrop for a story about finding your voice, both as a writer and as a person. Watching Selah navigate friendships, self-advocacy, and growth made this an emotional and empowering read that I think will resonate with many middle grade readers. Happy pub day!
CW: parental abandonment, panic attack, bullying
It was hard to top the original. I just loved that one so much, not to say this one isn’t a great addition.
June 26, 2026
Review based on an advanced reader’s copy.
This middle grade novel in verse is the companion story to Good Different. Selah (who loves dragons) has recently learned about her autism and is ready to spread her wings and soar. She’s looking forward to taking her sensory tools and notebooks to join her two friends for three weeks at Writing Camp. But things don’t as smoothly as she’d like. Remember Ezra (her bully) from Good Different? He’s at camp, too. And as excited as she is to be in a room and spend time with her friends Brooklyn and Rheya, Selah begins to feel overwhelmed by keeping her social mask on all the time.
A heartfelt middle grade story that celebrates courage, resilience, and self-discovery as Selah learns to embrace new challenges, understand her own boundaries, and speak up for herself.
Lines I enjoyed:
ARC page 10:
That’s how it is
when you love the same thing -
it’s easy to talk
when you speak the same language
and you know there’s someone
who’s always excited to listen.
ARC page 27:
Like for me,
My ability levels
fluctuate
like ocean waves.
Plus, these labels
make us value people
based on what they can do,
not who they are.
Language is powerful.
ARC page 82:
Autism is a double-edged sword.
It has good
and hard
in the same package.
If you only look at it
from one side, you miss
the person
in the middle of it all.
ARC page 156:
Selah,
Sometimes all you can do
is survive
but don’t settle
for surviving
when you can choose
to thrive.
ARC page 193:
Noa frowns.
“I’m not sure
I believe
any of us are actually
fine,
especially when we try
to go at it alone.
We all need help sometimes.”
ARC pages 286-287:
Pop chuckles.
“Everything feels like
the end of the world
when you’re young.
But then you live through it
and realize
you’re stronger than you thought
and the things you’re afraid of
don’t have the power
you think they do.”
ARC page 330:
But after this summer,
I think revising
isn’t just for poems,
that learning the language
of my brain and body -
that being a person -
is a work in progress
where I’ll keep growing
and changing
more and more
into the person I want to be.
This middle grade novel in verse is the companion story to Good Different. Selah (who loves dragons) has recently learned about her autism and is ready to spread her wings and soar. She’s looking forward to taking her sensory tools and notebooks to join her two friends for three weeks at Writing Camp. But things don’t as smoothly as she’d like. Remember Ezra (her bully) from Good Different? He’s at camp, too. And as excited as she is to be in a room and spend time with her friends Brooklyn and Rheya, Selah begins to feel overwhelmed by keeping her social mask on all the time.
A heartfelt middle grade story that celebrates courage, resilience, and self-discovery as Selah learns to embrace new challenges, understand her own boundaries, and speak up for herself.
Lines I enjoyed:
ARC page 10:
That’s how it is
when you love the same thing -
it’s easy to talk
when you speak the same language
and you know there’s someone
who’s always excited to listen.
ARC page 27:
Like for me,
My ability levels
fluctuate
like ocean waves.
Plus, these labels
make us value people
based on what they can do,
not who they are.
Language is powerful.
ARC page 82:
Autism is a double-edged sword.
It has good
and hard
in the same package.
If you only look at it
from one side, you miss
the person
in the middle of it all.
ARC page 156:
Selah,
Sometimes all you can do
is survive
but don’t settle
for surviving
when you can choose
to thrive.
ARC page 193:
Noa frowns.
“I’m not sure
I believe
any of us are actually
fine,
especially when we try
to go at it alone.
We all need help sometimes.”
ARC pages 286-287:
Pop chuckles.
“Everything feels like
the end of the world
when you’re young.
But then you live through it
and realize
you’re stronger than you thought
and the things you’re afraid of
don’t have the power
you think they do.”
ARC page 330:
But after this summer,
I think revising
isn’t just for poems,
that learning the language
of my brain and body -
that being a person -
is a work in progress
where I’ll keep growing
and changing
more and more
into the person I want to be.
June 26, 2026
4.5ish stars? Not as good as the first one, in my opinion, but I still really liked it! For context, I am a woman with ADHD, diagnosed when I was about four years younger than Selah and her friends. So while I’m not autistic, I can relate to some of Selah’s experiences. (Side note: love her name!). I personally still wasn’t a fan of Brooklyn, but I appreciate that she recognized she was being unfair. I want another book focusing on Ezra and his life, and I appreciate the section discussing struggles of ADHD beyond focus issues.
June 4, 2026
The perfect follow up to Good Different, which I feel was not only a great book for neurospicy readers to see themselves, but also for non-neurospicy readers to empathize with students needing accomodations and their systemic challenges with peers, parents, teachers, and admin. This story explores the challenges Selah still faces in a more supportive camp environment when interacting with other neurospicy kids, and how differently it can manifest itself. Selah has to learn to also learn about her friends and how they all grow to understand each other to become better friends.
September 29, 2026
I enjoyed this book just as much— if not more— than the first. I was having a good time throughout all of it.
Like the previous book, I could relate heavily. I love that books like this exist, to raise awareness and make me feel more seen than ever. This author does a great job at describing and expressing thoughts and feelings.
I liked the characters. I liked how they were realistically flawed. I liked that this book had characters that knew they were neurodivergent. Though, the perspective of there being undiagnosed neurodivergent characters in the first book was good, too. I think both are important to show. I also appreciated the ADHD representation, and inclusion of video games and manga (that made it extra fun).
This book shows the importance of accommodations, language surrounding functioning labels, masking, burnout, how autistic people process and respond to stress, and understanding everyone’s different needs.
I was satisfied with the conclusion of this. It could have been written as something negative, but it was not. I really liked the positive and hopeful perspective. These books don’t feel predictable; I’m not entirely sure how they’ll end.
Overall, a very good, important book. I like the inclusion of the poetry prompts at the end; I think I’ll try them out! I’ve loved every book of this author’s I’ve read so far. I look forward to reading more!
Like the previous book, I could relate heavily. I love that books like this exist, to raise awareness and make me feel more seen than ever. This author does a great job at describing and expressing thoughts and feelings.
I liked the characters. I liked how they were realistically flawed. I liked that this book had characters that knew they were neurodivergent. Though, the perspective of there being undiagnosed neurodivergent characters in the first book was good, too. I think both are important to show. I also appreciated the ADHD representation, and inclusion of video games and manga (that made it extra fun).
This book shows the importance of accommodations, language surrounding functioning labels, masking, burnout, how autistic people process and respond to stress, and understanding everyone’s different needs.
I was satisfied with the conclusion of this. It could have been written as something negative, but it was not. I really liked the positive and hopeful perspective. These books don’t feel predictable; I’m not entirely sure how they’ll end.
Overall, a very good, important book. I like the inclusion of the poetry prompts at the end; I think I’ll try them out! I’ve loved every book of this author’s I’ve read so far. I look forward to reading more!
August 3, 2026
A great sequel to Good Different! It was such a fast read being a novel in verse and very hard to put down!!
A must-have for all libraries, espeically if you have the first book!
I am looking forward to the next book in this series!!
There is another book, right?!
Possible Spoiler Alerts
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Possible Spoiler Alerts
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Possible Spoilers!
At first I was disappointed that Selah did last the whole summer camp, but it was very realistic that she was overwhelmed and needed to reset at home. Selah still had many good accomplishments and some not so great ones too. I really like how Selah and Ezra grew to know each other better and understand each other better. The old saying, you can't judge a book by it's cover was really how Selah saw Ezra and not knowing much else. I am looking forward to the next book in this series!! There is another book, right?!
A must-have for all libraries, espeically if you have the first book!
I am looking forward to the next book in this series!!
There is another book, right?!
Possible Spoiler Alerts
.
.
.
.
.
.
Possible Spoiler Alerts
.
.
.
.
.
Possible Spoilers!
At first I was disappointed that Selah did last the whole summer camp, but it was very realistic that she was overwhelmed and needed to reset at home. Selah still had many good accomplishments and some not so great ones too. I really like how Selah and Ezra grew to know each other better and understand each other better. The old saying, you can't judge a book by it's cover was really how Selah saw Ezra and not knowing much else. I am looking forward to the next book in this series!! There is another book, right?!
May 22, 2026
3.5 stars
Late review of arc from NetGalley
This sequel to Good Different expands on Selah’s day-to-day existence with her autism and the different ways she’s learning to cope with her disability and not trigger meltdowns. The book centers around Selah attending a sleep-away writing camp with her two new allistic friends, Brooklyn and Rheya, only to discover that her school bully, Ezra, is also at the same camp.
This was a difficult book for me to read because Selah’s emotions were so vivid. I could feel her anxiety about everything being so different and chaotic, and her frustration over her friends making decisions without her and her not knowing how to explain how she’s feeling to them.
I especially sympathized as someone who is also autistic. I know I couldn’t handle going to camp for several weeks especially not at Selah’s age. Fortunately, as an adult, I know my limits and what I can and cannot handle.
Learning her limits is something Selah does in this book. She pushes back at first, not wanting her friends to think differently of her for needing more accommodations, or her mom to take her back home because she’s having a hard time. In the end, Selah learns that being disabled means that sometimes we have to do things differently or can’t do certain things even if we really want to and there’s nothing wrong with that. It doesn’t make us weak or mean we weren’t trying hard enough.
I liked how her confrontation and friendship with Ezra were explored. He was less of a bully and more of an extreme annoyance who didn’t realize he was being annoying and who had his own preconceived ideas about Selah. It turns out he was sweeter and more thoughtful than Selah realized, and a good friend too. I also sympathized strongly with his feelings about his adhd, which is something I also have. Ezra was right. It’s not a superpower. It’s difficult and frustrating to live with and is rarely taken seriously by anyone. The part where he talks about how he never finishes anything no matter how he tries and how bad that makes him feel about himself, made me tear up.
Selah’s other two friends I was less fond of. Particularly Brooklyn. But reminding myself that this was a child still working through emotions made it easier.
I will say though, that there’s nothing wrong with talking about your friends to your parents if they are the sort of parents you can confide in. Brooklyn gets angry at Selah for telling Ezra and her mom some of the frustrations she’s dealing with in regard to her friends and Selah later apologizes. While Selah shouldn’t have talked to Ezra about it, children are supposed to talk to their parents about things like that. It’s how they learn and there’s nothing wrong with it. I wish the author hadn’t made it seem like talking to her mom about her friends was a bad thing. Talking to my mom about one of my friends when I was a teenager helped me realize how manipulative and mean that friend actually was.
I also didn’t like it when Brooklyn told Selah that friends aren’t supposed to have any secrets from each other and again this was never addressed. Everyone has a right to their privacy and you don’t have to tell your friends everything. I’ve dealt with difficult friends in the past who get angry if you spend time with other people or want you to tell them everything and not have any secrets from them and Brooklyn reminded me a little too vividly of those people.
Some of the things said about friendship in here were concerning to me, especially since the children reading this book will probably often be autistic ones and autistic people of every age are often more vulnerable to manipulation and being taken advantage of in friendships.
This wasn’t a bad sequel but I was expecting more from it.
Late review of arc from NetGalley
This sequel to Good Different expands on Selah’s day-to-day existence with her autism and the different ways she’s learning to cope with her disability and not trigger meltdowns. The book centers around Selah attending a sleep-away writing camp with her two new allistic friends, Brooklyn and Rheya, only to discover that her school bully, Ezra, is also at the same camp.
This was a difficult book for me to read because Selah’s emotions were so vivid. I could feel her anxiety about everything being so different and chaotic, and her frustration over her friends making decisions without her and her not knowing how to explain how she’s feeling to them.
I especially sympathized as someone who is also autistic. I know I couldn’t handle going to camp for several weeks especially not at Selah’s age. Fortunately, as an adult, I know my limits and what I can and cannot handle.
Learning her limits is something Selah does in this book. She pushes back at first, not wanting her friends to think differently of her for needing more accommodations, or her mom to take her back home because she’s having a hard time. In the end, Selah learns that being disabled means that sometimes we have to do things differently or can’t do certain things even if we really want to and there’s nothing wrong with that. It doesn’t make us weak or mean we weren’t trying hard enough.
I liked how her confrontation and friendship with Ezra were explored. He was less of a bully and more of an extreme annoyance who didn’t realize he was being annoying and who had his own preconceived ideas about Selah. It turns out he was sweeter and more thoughtful than Selah realized, and a good friend too. I also sympathized strongly with his feelings about his adhd, which is something I also have. Ezra was right. It’s not a superpower. It’s difficult and frustrating to live with and is rarely taken seriously by anyone. The part where he talks about how he never finishes anything no matter how he tries and how bad that makes him feel about himself, made me tear up.
Selah’s other two friends I was less fond of. Particularly Brooklyn. But reminding myself that this was a child still working through emotions made it easier.
I will say though, that there’s nothing wrong with talking about your friends to your parents if they are the sort of parents you can confide in. Brooklyn gets angry at Selah for telling Ezra and her mom some of the frustrations she’s dealing with in regard to her friends and Selah later apologizes. While Selah shouldn’t have talked to Ezra about it, children are supposed to talk to their parents about things like that. It’s how they learn and there’s nothing wrong with it. I wish the author hadn’t made it seem like talking to her mom about her friends was a bad thing. Talking to my mom about one of my friends when I was a teenager helped me realize how manipulative and mean that friend actually was.
I also didn’t like it when Brooklyn told Selah that friends aren’t supposed to have any secrets from each other and again this was never addressed. Everyone has a right to their privacy and you don’t have to tell your friends everything. I’ve dealt with difficult friends in the past who get angry if you spend time with other people or want you to tell them everything and not have any secrets from them and Brooklyn reminded me a little too vividly of those people.
Some of the things said about friendship in here were concerning to me, especially since the children reading this book will probably often be autistic ones and autistic people of every age are often more vulnerable to manipulation and being taken advantage of in friendships.
This wasn’t a bad sequel but I was expecting more from it.
June 5, 2026
A heartfelt middle grade novel about Selah, a young autistic aspiring poet who goes to a writer's camp and has challenges with making friends, learning how to BE a good friend and asking for understanding and accommodations when it comes to her sensory needs. I loved the friendships at the core of this book, the great neurodiversity rep and the poems at the core of the Selah's story. It was good on audio and perfect for fans of books like Maya plays the part by Calyssa Erb. This book is a companion novel to Good enough (also featuring Selah) but can be read as a standalone too.
June 14, 2026
I read this book while recovering from ADHD overstimulation burnout. I have never felt so seen and heard while reading a book. An important read for anyone who has a neurodivergent kiddo in their lives. Important to be in every classroom and school library.
June 16, 2026
The neurodiversity representation in this was so accurate that I was on the verge of tears for the bulk of this book. There are no words for how much I loved this and it far outshines the first book. Go read Good Different by this author, and then read this one immediately! Can’t wait for my kids to read this.
September 15, 2026
Loved being able to jump into a world with Selah again! This story follows her as she navigates writers camp and her autism. There are so many positive things I’d like to say about this book. It really helps you delve into the neurodivergent mind and puts you in Selah’s head during moments of overwhelm and dysregulation. I think everyone should read this book but especially middle grade readers. My 11 year old has so much more understanding and empathy along with the phrasing to use in order to support her autistic friends. She loved reading Selah’s story and frequently references societal “rules” that not everyone understands, especially as they grow up. The fact that this book is a novel in verse also means it is an easy and quick read for any hesitant reader. Enjoyed it immensely and look forward to reading whatever the author has next. 😊
September 14, 2026
WARNING! 🚨 This will contain spoilers for “Perfect Enough.” If that’s not your thing, please read another review.
1/5 ⭐️ Don't even give this to your worst enemy.
Perfect Enough centers on now 13-year-old Selah Godfrey, who was recently diagnosed with autism. She and her newest friends, Brooklyn and Rheya, agree to meet at Writer’s Camp. Selah is excited to meet more writers like her; she also feels she must prove to herself and her mother that she can handle attending. Unfortunately, on her first day, Selah is met with an unwelcome surprise. She discovers that her bully from Pebblecreek, Ezra, is attending camp too. However, after Ezra confides in her about his ADHD, the two of them form an unexpected connection—a bond so intense that it causes tension between Rheya and Brooklyn. This, among other things, stresses Selah out.
When I first heard that Good Different was receiving a sequel, I was excited yet also anxious. I really hoped that this book would be just as good, or even better, than the first one. But this novel went way below my expectations. I was VERY close to DNF’ing. Let’s go over the pros, cons, and neurodivergent representation.
Pros: I really liked Brooklyn’s character, which is one of the only positive things I can say about the story. She had a lively and enthusiastic personality. Although she wasn’t always empathetic towards Selah, the narrative does a great job of making Brooklyn a sympathetic character.
The only other thing I liked was the writing style. As I mentioned in my Good Different review, I have a love-hate relationship with it. Let’s start with the “love” part. It is very engaging, and it does a good job of making the reader invested in the characters. I also appreciated details like how some of the text was in the center to reflect how Selah felt stuck in the middle of things. It effectively conveyed her thought process and her feelings.
It upsets me that I don’t have more positive things to say about this novel. But this narrative had so many problems! Let’s move on to the cons.
Cons: Now, I was expecting to have a few problems with this book. However, by the time I finished it, I was surprised to see how many issues this novel had. First, this book doesn’t retain continuity from the first one.
For example, the story mentions that Selah met Brooklyn and Rheya after Fantasycon, yet this encounter was not brought up in the first book. It messed up the immersion in my reading experience, as I kept wondering why their meeting wasn’t mentioned in the first novel.
Second, another thing that bothered me about the story was the plot holes. At times, there were inconsistencies between what the characters said and what actually happened. The instance that comes to mind was when Ezra told Selah about his ADHD. While he told her, he said that he jumped out of the window yesterday, in this book’s timeline. However, this incident occurred on the first evening of camp. For reference, they had this discussion on the third day of camp. Yesterday would’ve been the second day. This confused and upset me, and it also broke the immersion for me.
Again, I feel like the writing style was a missed opportunity. This is where the “hate” part comes in. As I said before, it felt more like reading prose than poetry in my opinion.
I also didn’t like how the story ended either; it had the same problems as the first book’s ending. While we know that Selah left camp early, I still have lots of unanswered questions. Did Selah submit her poem to the journal? How did Brooklyn’s movie turn out? These questions go unanswered, which made the ending even more disappointing.
Additionally, I didn’t like how the Pebblecreek arc was resolved. Although it’s revealed that all the teachers, except for Mr. S., were proud of her, we didn’t see how the meeting with the principal went or how Selah’s old friend group felt about her leaving. It was unsatisfying to read, especially considering how much of the plot centered on Pebblecreek in the first book.
The last issue I had with this novel was how Selah and Ezra’s relationship was handled. This may be the longest aspect in my review, so be prepared! Throughout the narrative, it was heavily implied that they had crushes on each other. Selah laughed at jokes that she would’ve rolled her eyes at in the first book (i.e., the horse butt joke); repeatedly chose Ezra over her friends; allowed him to POKE her cheek with a straw despite her sensory issues; and she describes the things he does as “amazing” while spending hours researching ADHD. Meanwhile, Ezra told Selah that her poetry had inspired him to write and that he wouldn’t have come to camp if it weren’t for her poems. He becomes overly protective of her and advocates for her against her friends, and Ezra’s RSD spiral was triggered because he felt like Selah was rejecting him. He had even given her booger flowers in second grade, which was NEVER mentioned in the first book at all.
That reminds me, this book retcons a lot of their history and mentions things that should have been brought up in the first book. For instance, this book says they have known each other since kindergarten. Since then, Ezra has done many things that made Selah believe he was being annoying on purpose. This new piece of information not only makes their history feel fabricated and artificial, but it also raises questions about the incident with Addie. If Ezra knew Selah for eight years, why didn’t he ask her about what had happened with Addie? Why did he assume she was violent? This retcon made their connection hard for me to believe, and it was something that kept nagging me the more I read.
Speaking of their connection, another problem I have with it is the pacing. Selah went from dreading being around Ezra on day one to confiding in him about her friendship struggles and admitting to him that she didn’t know WHY she told him about it on day five. And their relationship only escalated further. The narrative appears to be behaving as if two weeks at camp managed to undo eight years of bullying (which Ezra didn’t realize he was doing) merely because they’re “brain cousins” who understand each other. This makes the speed of their bond feel implausible, especially given their previous history.
The pace of their relationship wasn’t just unreasonably quick, but any sort of tension that you’d expect is absent. The only time Selah genuinely worried about potentially being bullied again was before Ezra told her about his ADHD. Ever since, they have been abnormally comfortable around each other. She was even more concerned about Ezra trusting her than about learning how to trust him. The question of whether she could trust Ezra only crossed Selah’s mind once (night three particularly). And after this, she never thinks of it again for the rest of the narrative.
There were so many problems I had with Selah and Ezra’s relationship. But the last thing I’ll mention here is how much his character was altered. In Good Different, Ezra’s character was consistently portrayed as cruel and annoying. He didn’t have much depth as an antagonist, and it was unclear why he bullied Selah in the first place. But in this book, he’s now portrayed as someone funny, creative, and also a bit eccentric. And he didn’t even take real accountability when he first spoke to Selah. It wasn’t like Ezra started as insensitive and grew into a better person as the story progressed. The narrative actually made it seem that Ezra’s character ALWAYS had a kind or soft demeanor and that his bullying was simply a misunderstanding. This doesn’t add up because in Good Different, it was clear that Ezra knew what he was doing. Selah was his target, not someone he secretly admired.
Had Ezra been a NEW character, I wouldn’t have too many issues with him. However, because of how drastically his character changed from the first book to this one, it felt as though the story made him into an entirely new person so he could be more compatible with Selah. This makes their dynamic feel forced.
There were a lot of other gripes that I had with this book. But if I were to mention everything, this review would get far too long, as if it weren't long enough now! Let’s move on to the neurodivergent representation.
The Representation: As an autistic person, I have mixed feelings about this book. While I appreciated how Selah’s burnout was depicted and I still resonated with her experience with masking, there are a few aspects about the autistic representation that bugged me. And that was Selah’s new autistic traits.
In this novel, it’s revealed that Selah has to take gas pills to help stop her stomach from hurting. She also told Rheya that she doesn’t know if she feels thirsty sometimes. However, there was no moment in the first book that showed Selah struggling with these things. This missed an opportunity to address lesser-known autistic traits. Because Selah’s GI issues and her difficulty recognizing thirst were only mentioned in this book, it makes those aspects of her autism feel like an afterthought.
I also didn’t appreciate how Ezra’s ADHD was portrayed. I don’t have ADHD, so I cannot personally say how accurate or inaccurate his character was. However, I can speak to whether the story helped me understand ADHD better, which it didn’t. It felt like Ezra’s ADHD was an explanation for his negative behavior instead of something that was a part of his character. One of my biggest gripes with the ADHD representation was how it incorrectly labeled the full name for RSD. While Selah researched ADHD, she called it rejection sensory dysphoria instead of rejection sensitive dysphoria. I don't believe this error was intentional. Regardless, RSD is already a topic not discussed enough in kidlit, so it was a bummer to see the book get the full term wrong.
The Case of the Snack Snatcher and its other novels by Liam O’Donnell had a much better autism and ADHD friendship than this book did. Although I didn’t like how it didn’t explicitly mention Hajrah’s ADHD, seeing her dynamic with Myron was always fun to read. Myron didn’t want a detective partner initially, but he was never cruel to her, and she didn’t bully him either. The story didn’t lump Myron and Hajrah’s struggles together, and it was clear that Myron and Hajrah were just friends.
Here, it felt like they mushed Selah’s problems with Ezra’s to make it seem like they had more similarities than they did. And that was a letdown. Let’s move on to the conclusion.
Conclusion: Overall, despite the title being “Perfect Enough,” this companion novel was imperfect and had many flaws. It introduced plot holes and inconsistencies, and the characters feel unrecognizable. Selah and Ezra’s relationship makes no sense, and it was just a massive disappointment. If you liked Good Different, you’ll probably be confused by this book. Please read The Case of the Snack Snatcher and the other additions in the series if you want to see an autism and ADHD dynamic.
Thank you for reading, and God bless!
1/5 ⭐️ Don't even give this to your worst enemy.
Perfect Enough centers on now 13-year-old Selah Godfrey, who was recently diagnosed with autism. She and her newest friends, Brooklyn and Rheya, agree to meet at Writer’s Camp. Selah is excited to meet more writers like her; she also feels she must prove to herself and her mother that she can handle attending. Unfortunately, on her first day, Selah is met with an unwelcome surprise. She discovers that her bully from Pebblecreek, Ezra, is attending camp too. However, after Ezra confides in her about his ADHD, the two of them form an unexpected connection—a bond so intense that it causes tension between Rheya and Brooklyn. This, among other things, stresses Selah out.
When I first heard that Good Different was receiving a sequel, I was excited yet also anxious. I really hoped that this book would be just as good, or even better, than the first one. But this novel went way below my expectations. I was VERY close to DNF’ing. Let’s go over the pros, cons, and neurodivergent representation.
Pros: I really liked Brooklyn’s character, which is one of the only positive things I can say about the story. She had a lively and enthusiastic personality. Although she wasn’t always empathetic towards Selah, the narrative does a great job of making Brooklyn a sympathetic character.
The only other thing I liked was the writing style. As I mentioned in my Good Different review, I have a love-hate relationship with it. Let’s start with the “love” part. It is very engaging, and it does a good job of making the reader invested in the characters. I also appreciated details like how some of the text was in the center to reflect how Selah felt stuck in the middle of things. It effectively conveyed her thought process and her feelings.
It upsets me that I don’t have more positive things to say about this novel. But this narrative had so many problems! Let’s move on to the cons.
Cons: Now, I was expecting to have a few problems with this book. However, by the time I finished it, I was surprised to see how many issues this novel had. First, this book doesn’t retain continuity from the first one.
For example, the story mentions that Selah met Brooklyn and Rheya after Fantasycon, yet this encounter was not brought up in the first book. It messed up the immersion in my reading experience, as I kept wondering why their meeting wasn’t mentioned in the first novel.
Second, another thing that bothered me about the story was the plot holes. At times, there were inconsistencies between what the characters said and what actually happened. The instance that comes to mind was when Ezra told Selah about his ADHD. While he told her, he said that he jumped out of the window yesterday, in this book’s timeline. However, this incident occurred on the first evening of camp. For reference, they had this discussion on the third day of camp. Yesterday would’ve been the second day. This confused and upset me, and it also broke the immersion for me.
Again, I feel like the writing style was a missed opportunity. This is where the “hate” part comes in. As I said before, it felt more like reading prose than poetry in my opinion.
I also didn’t like how the story ended either; it had the same problems as the first book’s ending. While we know that Selah left camp early, I still have lots of unanswered questions. Did Selah submit her poem to the journal? How did Brooklyn’s movie turn out? These questions go unanswered, which made the ending even more disappointing.
Additionally, I didn’t like how the Pebblecreek arc was resolved. Although it’s revealed that all the teachers, except for Mr. S., were proud of her, we didn’t see how the meeting with the principal went or how Selah’s old friend group felt about her leaving. It was unsatisfying to read, especially considering how much of the plot centered on Pebblecreek in the first book.
The last issue I had with this novel was how Selah and Ezra’s relationship was handled. This may be the longest aspect in my review, so be prepared! Throughout the narrative, it was heavily implied that they had crushes on each other. Selah laughed at jokes that she would’ve rolled her eyes at in the first book (i.e., the horse butt joke); repeatedly chose Ezra over her friends; allowed him to POKE her cheek with a straw despite her sensory issues; and she describes the things he does as “amazing” while spending hours researching ADHD. Meanwhile, Ezra told Selah that her poetry had inspired him to write and that he wouldn’t have come to camp if it weren’t for her poems. He becomes overly protective of her and advocates for her against her friends, and Ezra’s RSD spiral was triggered because he felt like Selah was rejecting him. He had even given her booger flowers in second grade, which was NEVER mentioned in the first book at all.
That reminds me, this book retcons a lot of their history and mentions things that should have been brought up in the first book. For instance, this book says they have known each other since kindergarten. Since then, Ezra has done many things that made Selah believe he was being annoying on purpose. This new piece of information not only makes their history feel fabricated and artificial, but it also raises questions about the incident with Addie. If Ezra knew Selah for eight years, why didn’t he ask her about what had happened with Addie? Why did he assume she was violent? This retcon made their connection hard for me to believe, and it was something that kept nagging me the more I read.
Speaking of their connection, another problem I have with it is the pacing. Selah went from dreading being around Ezra on day one to confiding in him about her friendship struggles and admitting to him that she didn’t know WHY she told him about it on day five. And their relationship only escalated further. The narrative appears to be behaving as if two weeks at camp managed to undo eight years of bullying (which Ezra didn’t realize he was doing) merely because they’re “brain cousins” who understand each other. This makes the speed of their bond feel implausible, especially given their previous history.
The pace of their relationship wasn’t just unreasonably quick, but any sort of tension that you’d expect is absent. The only time Selah genuinely worried about potentially being bullied again was before Ezra told her about his ADHD. Ever since, they have been abnormally comfortable around each other. She was even more concerned about Ezra trusting her than about learning how to trust him. The question of whether she could trust Ezra only crossed Selah’s mind once (night three particularly). And after this, she never thinks of it again for the rest of the narrative.
There were so many problems I had with Selah and Ezra’s relationship. But the last thing I’ll mention here is how much his character was altered. In Good Different, Ezra’s character was consistently portrayed as cruel and annoying. He didn’t have much depth as an antagonist, and it was unclear why he bullied Selah in the first place. But in this book, he’s now portrayed as someone funny, creative, and also a bit eccentric. And he didn’t even take real accountability when he first spoke to Selah. It wasn’t like Ezra started as insensitive and grew into a better person as the story progressed. The narrative actually made it seem that Ezra’s character ALWAYS had a kind or soft demeanor and that his bullying was simply a misunderstanding. This doesn’t add up because in Good Different, it was clear that Ezra knew what he was doing. Selah was his target, not someone he secretly admired.
Had Ezra been a NEW character, I wouldn’t have too many issues with him. However, because of how drastically his character changed from the first book to this one, it felt as though the story made him into an entirely new person so he could be more compatible with Selah. This makes their dynamic feel forced.
There were a lot of other gripes that I had with this book. But if I were to mention everything, this review would get far too long, as if it weren't long enough now! Let’s move on to the neurodivergent representation.
The Representation: As an autistic person, I have mixed feelings about this book. While I appreciated how Selah’s burnout was depicted and I still resonated with her experience with masking, there are a few aspects about the autistic representation that bugged me. And that was Selah’s new autistic traits.
In this novel, it’s revealed that Selah has to take gas pills to help stop her stomach from hurting. She also told Rheya that she doesn’t know if she feels thirsty sometimes. However, there was no moment in the first book that showed Selah struggling with these things. This missed an opportunity to address lesser-known autistic traits. Because Selah’s GI issues and her difficulty recognizing thirst were only mentioned in this book, it makes those aspects of her autism feel like an afterthought.
I also didn’t appreciate how Ezra’s ADHD was portrayed. I don’t have ADHD, so I cannot personally say how accurate or inaccurate his character was. However, I can speak to whether the story helped me understand ADHD better, which it didn’t. It felt like Ezra’s ADHD was an explanation for his negative behavior instead of something that was a part of his character. One of my biggest gripes with the ADHD representation was how it incorrectly labeled the full name for RSD. While Selah researched ADHD, she called it rejection sensory dysphoria instead of rejection sensitive dysphoria. I don't believe this error was intentional. Regardless, RSD is already a topic not discussed enough in kidlit, so it was a bummer to see the book get the full term wrong.
The Case of the Snack Snatcher and its other novels by Liam O’Donnell had a much better autism and ADHD friendship than this book did. Although I didn’t like how it didn’t explicitly mention Hajrah’s ADHD, seeing her dynamic with Myron was always fun to read. Myron didn’t want a detective partner initially, but he was never cruel to her, and she didn’t bully him either. The story didn’t lump Myron and Hajrah’s struggles together, and it was clear that Myron and Hajrah were just friends.
Here, it felt like they mushed Selah’s problems with Ezra’s to make it seem like they had more similarities than they did. And that was a letdown. Let’s move on to the conclusion.
Conclusion: Overall, despite the title being “Perfect Enough,” this companion novel was imperfect and had many flaws. It introduced plot holes and inconsistencies, and the characters feel unrecognizable. Selah and Ezra’s relationship makes no sense, and it was just a massive disappointment. If you liked Good Different, you’ll probably be confused by this book. Please read The Case of the Snack Snatcher and the other additions in the series if you want to see an autism and ADHD dynamic.
Thank you for reading, and God bless!
July 2, 2026
So glad this book exists. The sequel to "Good Different" (which will forever hold the most special place in my heart) follows Selah as she heads to an overnight writing camp. It's exactly where she wants to be...and it's difficult to navigate as a person on the autism spectrum. Beautiful discussions of autistic burnout, spoon theory, and neurodivergent "brain cousins" abound.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
It’s summer vacation, and budding poet Selah is headed off to three weeks of Writers’ Camp. It’s the first time she’s been away from her mother and grandfather (Pop), and her first big adventure since being diagnosed with autism in the spring of seventh grade. Mom is apprehensive and Pop is cautiously optimistic - and both reassure Selah that there’s no shame in changing her mind if she wants to come home - but Selah is confident and excited. She is rooming with Brooklyn and Rheya, two girls she met at a FantasyCon who share her love of dragons and creative expression. On the first day of camp, she is startled to see her classmate and sometime nemesis Ezra in attendance as well, and plans to avoid him as best she can.
In the beginning, Selah thrives in her new independent environment: she loves being with her friends, enjoys the challenge of the classes she’s taking, and even starts to warm up to Ezra, who confides in her that he has ADHD and considers them neurodivergent ‘brain cousins.’ An assignment for a group project leads to problems for the roommates as Brooklyn takes charge and doesn’t leave a lot of space for Selah’s ideas, and gets mad when Selah suggests she might work with Ezra instead. On top of that, Brooklyn and Rheya tend to talk late into the night with the lights left on, inviting other girls in with no regard for Selah’s sensitivity to both noise and light. Selah tries to tolerate it at first, knowing her friends don’t fully understand her autism and how it manifests for her. She just wants to fit in, but the harder she tries to manage her situation without asking for help from a grownup, the bigger her reactions become. She takes to sleeping in the library of her dorm, which leads to exhaustion and dysregulation as well as misunderstandings with her friends. Her kind counselor and her mother and Pop encourage her to consider going home, but she is hesitant to let them - and herself - down by admitting what she sees as defeat.
Perfect Enough is a satisfying follow-up to Meg Eden Kuyatt’s debut novel, Good Different, which chronicles Selah’s seventh grade school year, in which she discovers her love of writing poetry and also receives her diagnosis of autism. Like that book, the first-person narration is told in free verse poetry with an authentic voice that really enables the audience to access Selah’s feelings and mindset. Readers will empathize with Selah as she navigates new experiences and social situations while learning to put her own needs and well-being at the top of her priority list. This is challenging enough for any middle schooler, without the added stress of remembering the various coping strategies she has acquired from therapy and her own research, and trying to advocate for herself with her peers. This summer is a real growth experience for Selah, who definitely needs to give herself a break as she prepares to go to public school for the first time in the fall. Back matter includes writing prompts based on some of the camp activities, recommendations for reading manga, and resources for learning more about ADHD. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...
In the beginning, Selah thrives in her new independent environment: she loves being with her friends, enjoys the challenge of the classes she’s taking, and even starts to warm up to Ezra, who confides in her that he has ADHD and considers them neurodivergent ‘brain cousins.’ An assignment for a group project leads to problems for the roommates as Brooklyn takes charge and doesn’t leave a lot of space for Selah’s ideas, and gets mad when Selah suggests she might work with Ezra instead. On top of that, Brooklyn and Rheya tend to talk late into the night with the lights left on, inviting other girls in with no regard for Selah’s sensitivity to both noise and light. Selah tries to tolerate it at first, knowing her friends don’t fully understand her autism and how it manifests for her. She just wants to fit in, but the harder she tries to manage her situation without asking for help from a grownup, the bigger her reactions become. She takes to sleeping in the library of her dorm, which leads to exhaustion and dysregulation as well as misunderstandings with her friends. Her kind counselor and her mother and Pop encourage her to consider going home, but she is hesitant to let them - and herself - down by admitting what she sees as defeat.
Perfect Enough is a satisfying follow-up to Meg Eden Kuyatt’s debut novel, Good Different, which chronicles Selah’s seventh grade school year, in which she discovers her love of writing poetry and also receives her diagnosis of autism. Like that book, the first-person narration is told in free verse poetry with an authentic voice that really enables the audience to access Selah’s feelings and mindset. Readers will empathize with Selah as she navigates new experiences and social situations while learning to put her own needs and well-being at the top of her priority list. This is challenging enough for any middle schooler, without the added stress of remembering the various coping strategies she has acquired from therapy and her own research, and trying to advocate for herself with her peers. This summer is a real growth experience for Selah, who definitely needs to give herself a break as she prepares to go to public school for the first time in the fall. Back matter includes writing prompts based on some of the camp activities, recommendations for reading manga, and resources for learning more about ADHD. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...
Review of advance copy received from Author
Perfect Enough by Meg Eden Kuyatt presents a heartwarming and heartshattering story about the dangers of wearing oneself too thin and bending until you break, especially when you are struggling with invisible differences others may not be.
We return to Selah’s story after the events of Good Different. She’s looking for a fresh start, and she finds one in this summer’s session of Writer’s Camp. Armored with new friends and a new set of tools, she is eager to become a “real writer” by the end of the summer. But summer camp is complicated; emotions are confusing and why is one of her least favorite people from Pebblecreek Academy here, jumping through a window?! Selah has to learn that not every space is a friendly one for a neurodivergent brain. And not every neurodivergent experience is the same. Navigating Writer’s Camp may be more than Selah is capable of, and that may not be a bad thing.
Kuyatt further explores the neurodivergent lens in an approachable and engaging manner for middle grade fans. She adds ADHD to the conversation in this installment, and for readers that may be unfamiliar with the disorder, her discussions add another layer of diversity to her world of characters. I also imagine that these ruminations may also be a mirror to younger readers who are just coming to terms with their own experiences or diagnoses. The relationships Selah explores in Perfect Enough seem raw and realistic, and at times had me cringing at my past escapades with friends who didn’t quite get me in my younger years.
However, though Selah is older and wiser in Perfect Enough, the story does not seem to grow alongside her. Her arguments and inner voice still feel incredibly juvenile, even if she has aged from her last appearance in Good Different. The tug-of-war between internal thoughts and external actions remains in Perfect Enough, but I can’t help but feel like her voice in Perfect Enough has lost some of its grit. The mixed metaphors of her self-discovery ring slightly more hollow in this sequel.
Kuyatt’s discussions on autistic burnout are vitally important for her young audience. I wish I had ever been given the permission to slow down, not bend until I break, and call it quits when it just isn’t working out when I was younger; it would have saved me a large amount of money in therapy co-pays. Being able to take stock in one’s own needs, respect them, and still pursue your passions is a fine line that even the strongest of people can stumble from, but it is leagues harder when you are neurodivergent in a neurotypical world. The fact that this conversation is even making it into the minds of middle grade readers is a hefty praise.
Overall, if you enjoyed Good Different, you will be happy with its sequel. I don’t think Perfect Enough occupies the same shining space in my heart, but it is a story that is needed nonetheless. Young readers will rally behind Selah as she navigates a fiery pit of teenage social situations, and older readers will look back at their own youthful experiences with a new lens.
*A giant "thank you" to Meg Eden Kuyatt's publishing team for sending me an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review* This review was originally posted on Goodreads
We return to Selah’s story after the events of Good Different. She’s looking for a fresh start, and she finds one in this summer’s session of Writer’s Camp. Armored with new friends and a new set of tools, she is eager to become a “real writer” by the end of the summer. But summer camp is complicated; emotions are confusing and why is one of her least favorite people from Pebblecreek Academy here, jumping through a window?! Selah has to learn that not every space is a friendly one for a neurodivergent brain. And not every neurodivergent experience is the same. Navigating Writer’s Camp may be more than Selah is capable of, and that may not be a bad thing.
Kuyatt further explores the neurodivergent lens in an approachable and engaging manner for middle grade fans. She adds ADHD to the conversation in this installment, and for readers that may be unfamiliar with the disorder, her discussions add another layer of diversity to her world of characters. I also imagine that these ruminations may also be a mirror to younger readers who are just coming to terms with their own experiences or diagnoses. The relationships Selah explores in Perfect Enough seem raw and realistic, and at times had me cringing at my past escapades with friends who didn’t quite get me in my younger years.
However, though Selah is older and wiser in Perfect Enough, the story does not seem to grow alongside her. Her arguments and inner voice still feel incredibly juvenile, even if she has aged from her last appearance in Good Different. The tug-of-war between internal thoughts and external actions remains in Perfect Enough, but I can’t help but feel like her voice in Perfect Enough has lost some of its grit. The mixed metaphors of her self-discovery ring slightly more hollow in this sequel.
Kuyatt’s discussions on autistic burnout are vitally important for her young audience. I wish I had ever been given the permission to slow down, not bend until I break, and call it quits when it just isn’t working out when I was younger; it would have saved me a large amount of money in therapy co-pays. Being able to take stock in one’s own needs, respect them, and still pursue your passions is a fine line that even the strongest of people can stumble from, but it is leagues harder when you are neurodivergent in a neurotypical world. The fact that this conversation is even making it into the minds of middle grade readers is a hefty praise.
Overall, if you enjoyed Good Different, you will be happy with its sequel. I don’t think Perfect Enough occupies the same shining space in my heart, but it is a story that is needed nonetheless. Young readers will rally behind Selah as she navigates a fiery pit of teenage social situations, and older readers will look back at their own youthful experiences with a new lens.
*A giant "thank you" to Meg Eden Kuyatt's publishing team for sending me an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review* This review was originally posted on Goodreads
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I really like Meg Edan Kuyatt SO much. This is my third book by her, and her third kindhearted middle grade verse novel about an Autistic kid, and it's a very lovely follow-up to Good Different. Selah is figuring out what to do to make her life easier now that she has an Autism diagnosis to reframe some of her feelings and experiences. She is also at WRITING CAMP, away from home for several weeks, spending time with friends and honing her favorite craft. But away camp is actually super hard and so is friendship, so partway through, Selah is crashing. This is a book about really really really wanting something and needing to figure out the balance between your desires and your capacities. It is also about how sometimes your friends can be jerks and those jerks also have mental health problems. Broadly I think it's empathetic, sweet, effectively stressful and enjoyable. Nice book.
This is a whole soap box, but I have this backwards old suspicion sometimes that having supercodified language that, at last, explains and defines our experiences in some ways diminishes our ability to seek our own descriptions of those experiences. Diagnosis CAN save your life but maybe, also, groping for language is sometimes a beautiful thing. I just think about this when I run into a book where the experiences of, for example, Autism, are neatly labeled as per the glossary of a workbook rather than described in a way that I feel in my heart. This book doesn't do that so much that I didn't enjoy it, but it gets clinical in its language sometimes, and I don't think it will help an Autistic child more to hear about spoon theory in a novel than it would help that Autistic child to read about a character whose fresh telling of their self, using words not provided to them by a clinician, matches the reader's own impossible and familiar feelings. Walk around the block twice after therapy BEFORE setting out to write, is what I am saying here to all of us.
There was a stretch of the book where I was very uncertain whether Selah (or Kuyatt) would notice how messed up one of the friends who Selah struggles with is being / is feeling. But overall I think she pulls it off--"it" being both yet another compelling portrait of a child's Autistic experiences, and ensuring that other characters and not just her protagonist are complicated people with their own inner mental health and disability struggles.
I also appreciate, very much, Kuyatt's choice of message: not "it's summer and at the last second everyone will triumph" so much as "it's summer and maybe you are taking on a bit too much". I appreciate her willingness to make things...well, imperfect...in order to get there.
Overall, a very pleasant (if sometimes deliberately frustrating) reading experience that I strongly recommend to fans of Good Different, seekers of thoughtful stories about Autism, and readers of contemporary MG in general.
This is a whole soap box, but I have this backwards old suspicion sometimes that having supercodified language that, at last, explains and defines our experiences in some ways diminishes our ability to seek our own descriptions of those experiences. Diagnosis CAN save your life but maybe, also, groping for language is sometimes a beautiful thing. I just think about this when I run into a book where the experiences of, for example, Autism, are neatly labeled as per the glossary of a workbook rather than described in a way that I feel in my heart. This book doesn't do that so much that I didn't enjoy it, but it gets clinical in its language sometimes, and I don't think it will help an Autistic child more to hear about spoon theory in a novel than it would help that Autistic child to read about a character whose fresh telling of their self, using words not provided to them by a clinician, matches the reader's own impossible and familiar feelings. Walk around the block twice after therapy BEFORE setting out to write, is what I am saying here to all of us.
There was a stretch of the book where I was very uncertain whether Selah (or Kuyatt) would notice how messed up one of the friends who Selah struggles with is being / is feeling. But overall I think she pulls it off--"it" being both yet another compelling portrait of a child's Autistic experiences, and ensuring that other characters and not just her protagonist are complicated people with their own inner mental health and disability struggles.
I also appreciate, very much, Kuyatt's choice of message: not "it's summer and at the last second everyone will triumph" so much as "it's summer and maybe you are taking on a bit too much". I appreciate her willingness to make things...well, imperfect...in order to get there.
Overall, a very pleasant (if sometimes deliberately frustrating) reading experience that I strongly recommend to fans of Good Different, seekers of thoughtful stories about Autism, and readers of contemporary MG in general.
January 24, 2026
Wonderful follow-up to Selah’s story of self-discovery and the beginnings of understanding her autism in Good Different.
In Good Different, Selah, her mother and grandfather finally putting a name to why it has been so difficult for her to regulate emotions, handle loud noises and chaotic situations and express her wants and needs to others. With guidance from supportive friends, family and professionals, she completed 7th grade using a variety of tools that are beginning to help her navigate life’s challenges and all the things that neurotypical people may not have to think much about. Her poetry writing continues to be an outlet for her as both retreat and self-expression and thanks to new friends Brooklyn and Rheya, she is planning to attend a 3 week writing camp in order to fine tune her skills and possibly even be published. But the pressures of the schedule, projects to be completed, noisy teens who do not understand the concept of quiet time or lights and, maybe most especially, the presence of nemesis Ezra, may prove to be more than Selah can handle, even with her newfound skills.
Once again Meg Kuyatt gives readers an NIV that will validate the experiences of many neurodivergent thinkers and/or guide others to greater understanding of those who do not fit into the box that traditional expectations require. Using Ezra’s ADHD, Noa’s physical battles with long COVID complications, and Brooklyn’s struggle with being alone or in too much silence, the focus expands to include more personalities and unique sets of needs allowing more readers to make direct connections to the main characters. In the writer’s camp setting, there are plenty of positive reactions to the specific needs of Selah, Ezra and Brooklyn but there are also those who do not react well at all and plenty who fall somewhere in-between providing a very realistic backdrop of experiences. Love how Kuyatt uses Selah and others to demonstrate different ways to express one’s needs and to try and heal rifts between friends.
Perfect edition to the NIV collections in libraries serving grades 3-8 and highly recommended even if readers haven’t read Good Different.
Target age: grades 3-8
Profanity: none
Violence: none
Sexual content: none
Representation: Selah and Noa are autistic; Ezra has ADHD; Noa has difficulties with mobility; Brooklyn’s parents are often emotionally and physically absent from her life; the cover illustration only indicates Ezra is Black; Selah has a positive and supportive family with the unique configuration of mom, grandfather and child
Thanks for providing a print arc for an early look, Scholastic!
In Good Different, Selah, her mother and grandfather finally putting a name to why it has been so difficult for her to regulate emotions, handle loud noises and chaotic situations and express her wants and needs to others. With guidance from supportive friends, family and professionals, she completed 7th grade using a variety of tools that are beginning to help her navigate life’s challenges and all the things that neurotypical people may not have to think much about. Her poetry writing continues to be an outlet for her as both retreat and self-expression and thanks to new friends Brooklyn and Rheya, she is planning to attend a 3 week writing camp in order to fine tune her skills and possibly even be published. But the pressures of the schedule, projects to be completed, noisy teens who do not understand the concept of quiet time or lights and, maybe most especially, the presence of nemesis Ezra, may prove to be more than Selah can handle, even with her newfound skills.
Once again Meg Kuyatt gives readers an NIV that will validate the experiences of many neurodivergent thinkers and/or guide others to greater understanding of those who do not fit into the box that traditional expectations require. Using Ezra’s ADHD, Noa’s physical battles with long COVID complications, and Brooklyn’s struggle with being alone or in too much silence, the focus expands to include more personalities and unique sets of needs allowing more readers to make direct connections to the main characters. In the writer’s camp setting, there are plenty of positive reactions to the specific needs of Selah, Ezra and Brooklyn but there are also those who do not react well at all and plenty who fall somewhere in-between providing a very realistic backdrop of experiences. Love how Kuyatt uses Selah and others to demonstrate different ways to express one’s needs and to try and heal rifts between friends.
Perfect edition to the NIV collections in libraries serving grades 3-8 and highly recommended even if readers haven’t read Good Different.
Target age: grades 3-8
Profanity: none
Violence: none
Sexual content: none
Representation: Selah and Noa are autistic; Ezra has ADHD; Noa has difficulties with mobility; Brooklyn’s parents are often emotionally and physically absent from her life; the cover illustration only indicates Ezra is Black; Selah has a positive and supportive family with the unique configuration of mom, grandfather and child
Thanks for providing a print arc for an early look, Scholastic!
June 3, 2026
PERFECT ENOUGH takes me back to my childhood and navigating friendships (but with more wisdom and tools). I am amazed how this author taps into the nuances of this age, making it relatable to middle graders and adults.
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Audience: Middle-Grade
Format: Novel in Verse
Themes: Friendship, Forgiveness, Collaboration, Family, Being Different, Understanding the Needs of Others, Resilience
Representation: There are multiple neurodiverse children and adults. I loved having both because it shows that things work out for neurodiverse people.
I firmly believe this book is for everyone. We can all do with finding greater compassion and understanding. For those who are neurodiverse, this book is like a hug that says, "I've got you. You are not alone. And everything will work out. You are so valuable and needed."
The characters make mistakes. Not tiny ones but things that are tragic because they spell out the death of a friendship. Besides family, friends are the most important support group for middle graders. It takes genuine work to figure out the mistakes and if they are solvable.
There is also this idea people have that we must do everything. Sometimes, that is not possible. Things change in life, and we must give ourselves and others grace.
I am absolutely in love with this book and the first, Good Different. It would be wonderful to have classroom sets go to schools so classes could read it together. Once we understand someone, we relate to them so much more. This book is also perfect for families, neurodiverse kids, neurotypical kids, and anyone who wants to better understand others. Empathy is the name of the game here.
I highly recommend this book, and I hope you run right out and get it.
Happy reading!
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Audience: Middle-Grade
Format: Novel in Verse
Themes: Friendship, Forgiveness, Collaboration, Family, Being Different, Understanding the Needs of Others, Resilience
Representation: There are multiple neurodiverse children and adults. I loved having both because it shows that things work out for neurodiverse people.
I firmly believe this book is for everyone. We can all do with finding greater compassion and understanding. For those who are neurodiverse, this book is like a hug that says, "I've got you. You are not alone. And everything will work out. You are so valuable and needed."
The characters make mistakes. Not tiny ones but things that are tragic because they spell out the death of a friendship. Besides family, friends are the most important support group for middle graders. It takes genuine work to figure out the mistakes and if they are solvable.
There is also this idea people have that we must do everything. Sometimes, that is not possible. Things change in life, and we must give ourselves and others grace.
I am absolutely in love with this book and the first, Good Different. It would be wonderful to have classroom sets go to schools so classes could read it together. Once we understand someone, we relate to them so much more. This book is also perfect for families, neurodiverse kids, neurotypical kids, and anyone who wants to better understand others. Empathy is the name of the game here.
I highly recommend this book, and I hope you run right out and get it.
Happy reading!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This delightful sequel to Good Different follows Selah as she enters the brave new world of writing camp, armed with the autism diagnosis she received in the first book, and plenty of tools to help her manage sensory overwhelm. But a new environment and new friends come with lots of new challenges. Selah overcomes her negative previous impressions to become friends with Ezra, a boy from her old school. Even though they declare themselves “brain cousins” in neurodivergence, Selah soon realizes that her autism and Ezra’s ADHD express themselves in very different ways. Add to that the exciting (but sometimes overwhelming) experience of rooming with two new friends who share many of her interests but don’t understand her boundaries. (“Rumors say autistic people aren’t good at social cues,” she says, “but I don’t know where that came from because it seems to me that other people don’t get my obvious cues to leave me alone.”) The author shows Selah’s mounting frustrations with her friends and herself in lyrical verse that often incorporates the forms featured in her writing classes. (Take note, language arts teachers! This book has SO many lesson extension possibilities, many of which are included in writing prompts in the backmatter.) My favorite thing about this story is its refusal to tack on a pat happy ending; the story’s conclusion is satisfying and completely earned, and emphasizes that real progress comes in many different forms. For Selah that is about learning to answer the question: “How do you know what’s a good or bad uncomfortable? The kind that makes you grow or makes you melt down?”
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The blurb lists this book as being a companion to Good Different, but really it's a sequel. You'll get a LOT more out of this if you've read the first one before you read this one.
Selah is a 12-year-old girl who's recently received a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder and is learning how to listen to her body and what supports she might need to thrive in a neurotypical world. She's heading off to Writer's Camp for three weeks in the summer before she starts at a new middle school in the fall. Selah is excited because she'll be with her friends Rheya and Brooklyn at camp. Her mom and her grandfather are a little worried, but willing to let her go.
As the days progress, Selah gets more and more overwhelmed, not quite sure how to articulate her needs to her friends. She absolutely loves the classes and is thrilled at the prospect of getting published in the camp journal at the end of the three weeks. She wants so badly to succeed, that it begins to overshadow everything else, including her own mental health and her friendships. Can she figure it out or will she have to go home? If she goes home will that be the end of her aspirations to become a writer?
Told in beautiful verse, this novel captures the essence of what it's like to walk the line between maintaining your friendships and your sanity; between figuring out your own abilities and needs and setting realistic but stretching goals.
This was not only an entertaining read, it was informative and heartwarming, but realistic. I highly recommend it!
Selah is a 12-year-old girl who's recently received a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder and is learning how to listen to her body and what supports she might need to thrive in a neurotypical world. She's heading off to Writer's Camp for three weeks in the summer before she starts at a new middle school in the fall. Selah is excited because she'll be with her friends Rheya and Brooklyn at camp. Her mom and her grandfather are a little worried, but willing to let her go.
As the days progress, Selah gets more and more overwhelmed, not quite sure how to articulate her needs to her friends. She absolutely loves the classes and is thrilled at the prospect of getting published in the camp journal at the end of the three weeks. She wants so badly to succeed, that it begins to overshadow everything else, including her own mental health and her friendships. Can she figure it out or will she have to go home? If she goes home will that be the end of her aspirations to become a writer?
Told in beautiful verse, this novel captures the essence of what it's like to walk the line between maintaining your friendships and your sanity; between figuring out your own abilities and needs and setting realistic but stretching goals.
This was not only an entertaining read, it was informative and heartwarming, but realistic. I highly recommend it!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Novel in verse
I received an electronic ARC from Scholastic Press through NetGalley.
Readers met Selah in the first book. This one picks up during the summer following. She is excited to go to a writers camp. She'll be there with two friends - Brooklyn & Rheya. Readers may already start to understand that rooming together is very different from simply being friends, and this plays out in the story. Selah is still new to understanding her autism and pushes herself to be what everyone else needs. She can't find the way to speak up and share what she needs so a lot of hurt happens on all sides. In many ways, this is a typical summer camp experience with some additional elements woven through. Selah learns more about Ezra and his ADHD and comes to realize he was not intentionally bullying her - just trying to connect. They for a friendship that should carry into the school year by being honest with each other. Honest communication is a main theme that weaves through the entire book. The characters all have their own needs and don't share them well in the beginning.
Kuyatt uses this format well to bring the characters and the emotions out. Readers will connect with the characters and may directly relate to some of their ways of participating in their world. I appreciate the ending when Selah realizes she has to take care of herself to heal the autism burnout. It is never failure to take care of yourself.
I received an electronic ARC from Scholastic Press through NetGalley.
Readers met Selah in the first book. This one picks up during the summer following. She is excited to go to a writers camp. She'll be there with two friends - Brooklyn & Rheya. Readers may already start to understand that rooming together is very different from simply being friends, and this plays out in the story. Selah is still new to understanding her autism and pushes herself to be what everyone else needs. She can't find the way to speak up and share what she needs so a lot of hurt happens on all sides. In many ways, this is a typical summer camp experience with some additional elements woven through. Selah learns more about Ezra and his ADHD and comes to realize he was not intentionally bullying her - just trying to connect. They for a friendship that should carry into the school year by being honest with each other. Honest communication is a main theme that weaves through the entire book. The characters all have their own needs and don't share them well in the beginning.
Kuyatt uses this format well to bring the characters and the emotions out. Readers will connect with the characters and may directly relate to some of their ways of participating in their world. I appreciate the ending when Selah realizes she has to take care of herself to heal the autism burnout. It is never failure to take care of yourself.
July 21, 2026
Wow! What a wonderful sequel to one of my favorite middle grade novels-in-verse, Good Different. Perfect Enough takes us back into Selah's head as she is newly diagnosed with autism and is navigating her needs and how to best to advocate for herself while juggling the pitfalls of being in middle school. In this book, Selah is at a writer's camp with two new friends she made at a convention who she can be herself around -- mostly. Unfortunately, annoying bully Ezra from school is also here. Selah has never been away from home for so long and when the pressures of writing assignments and friendships converge with the reality of navigating time and space away from home, this situation is a recipe for disaster.
This book is perfect for ALL middle grade readers. There are so many situations that Selah finds herself in that, neurodivergent or not, most middle schoolers will experience, like venting behind someone's back, trying to take on too much, being scared to tell your friends what you need for fear that they will laugh at you. Not only will kids relate to this book, but they will empathize with Selah and all the main characters in this book. I cannot speak highly enough about Meg Eden Kuyatt and the important topics that she is bringing up in this series!
Thank you Netgalley, Meg Eden Kuyatt, and the publisher for this eARC!
This book is perfect for ALL middle grade readers. There are so many situations that Selah finds herself in that, neurodivergent or not, most middle schoolers will experience, like venting behind someone's back, trying to take on too much, being scared to tell your friends what you need for fear that they will laugh at you. Not only will kids relate to this book, but they will empathize with Selah and all the main characters in this book. I cannot speak highly enough about Meg Eden Kuyatt and the important topics that she is bringing up in this series!
Thank you Netgalley, Meg Eden Kuyatt, and the publisher for this eARC!
August 30, 2026
Excellent sequel to Good Different by Meg. In this book, Selah has her autism diagnosis and is still trying to figure out what that means for her and how to navigate her space in the world. She's doing well. So well, in fact, that her parents agree to send her to summer camp. This new environment and new experience is fun and exciting at first, but as time goes on and it's harder for her to use her typical coping mechanisms, she starts to shut down. I love how well this book depicts the mind of a person with autism. My twelve year old daughter is on the spectrum, and when she gets overstimulated and overwhelmed she reacts much the same way. It's beautiful to see such a strong and brave character that my daughter can relate to as she goes through a new, uncertain time herself. (Start of Middle School, yikes.) Selah didn't react perfectly. She's still learning. But I love that those around her where super supportive once they understood the situation. They weren't perfect either, but they were trying, and that's the important part, I think. Part of the struggle Selah kept running into was being brave enough to share her truth and ask for help. As an adult I still find this exceptionally hard, so teaching this lesson to tweens and teens is so so important. "Sometimes even dragons need hugs and friends to get them out of their quiet caves for a little bit." I don't want to spoil the message at the end, but I still say that the value of what is shown here is something we all need and I found so validating as a human.
Oh! I almost forgot - a school mate of Selah's shows up at camp. She doesn't like this boy at all. She finds him annoying, unpredictable and unruly, which sends her into a tailspin. She learns he is also neurodivergent in his own way and they have to learn to communicate to work through their 'isms' together. Once again, another important piece that every human can benefit from.
My one and only complaint, and I wouldn't actually say it's a complaint because it wasn't bad, but the entire book is written in poetry from Selah's point of view. She's found her voice through poetry, so this story is told through her journaling in the form of her poems. I enjoyed it, but it didn't read as smoothly as a typical fiction novel. I wouldn't say it detracted from the story, but for me, poetry takes extra brain power to process so I wasn't able to fully immerse myself in it. This is my reasoning for a 4 instead of 5 star review. It worked with the story and was SO Selah, but my personal preference is never going to be poems. Excellent read for anyone with an autistic kiddo in their life.
Quotes
“I have ADHD.” He grins. “It wasn’t obvious? All those times I got in trouble at Pebblecreek? The window yesterday? We’re like brain cousins.”
[Brain cousins. I love that for autism and adhd.]
Do you have to do a lot to be interesting enough to tell a story? Or can whoever you already are be enough?
Sometimes I wish I could turn down my sensitivity to sound lights textures tastes feelings and not feel like I have to explain or cosplay as a normal person.
“Mean people can make us forget we’re made of magic,” she says. “Mean words sting worse than yellowjackets. Especially when they come from people you thought you could trust.”
Could it be OK to be strong but also tired? A hero who can do great things but also needs a lot of sleep?
My body’s a phone in low power mode, keeping just enough power to stay alive but not enough for anything else no matter how much I want to move or do.
Oh! I almost forgot - a school mate of Selah's shows up at camp. She doesn't like this boy at all. She finds him annoying, unpredictable and unruly, which sends her into a tailspin. She learns he is also neurodivergent in his own way and they have to learn to communicate to work through their 'isms' together. Once again, another important piece that every human can benefit from.
My one and only complaint, and I wouldn't actually say it's a complaint because it wasn't bad, but the entire book is written in poetry from Selah's point of view. She's found her voice through poetry, so this story is told through her journaling in the form of her poems. I enjoyed it, but it didn't read as smoothly as a typical fiction novel. I wouldn't say it detracted from the story, but for me, poetry takes extra brain power to process so I wasn't able to fully immerse myself in it. This is my reasoning for a 4 instead of 5 star review. It worked with the story and was SO Selah, but my personal preference is never going to be poems. Excellent read for anyone with an autistic kiddo in their life.
Quotes
“I have ADHD.” He grins. “It wasn’t obvious? All those times I got in trouble at Pebblecreek? The window yesterday? We’re like brain cousins.”
[Brain cousins. I love that for autism and adhd.]
Do you have to do a lot to be interesting enough to tell a story? Or can whoever you already are be enough?
Sometimes I wish I could turn down my sensitivity to sound lights textures tastes feelings and not feel like I have to explain or cosplay as a normal person.
“Mean people can make us forget we’re made of magic,” she says. “Mean words sting worse than yellowjackets. Especially when they come from people you thought you could trust.”
Could it be OK to be strong but also tired? A hero who can do great things but also needs a lot of sleep?
My body’s a phone in low power mode, keeping just enough power to stay alive but not enough for anything else no matter how much I want to move or do.
July 28, 2026
This is a wonderful verse novel following GOOD DIFFERENT, as Selah attends a sleepaway camp for the first time. She takes part in a writing program held on a college campus, and she rooms with two friends. Selah recently discovered that she has autism and is determined to prove that she can be successful in this new environment, but after very little sleep and constant activity, she finds herself exhausted and "out of spoons." Ultimately, Selah realizes that the best decision is to accept that she needs to go home early rather than forcing herself to stay and be miserable. I really like the way that this story exemplifies the importance of self-care and respecting differences, especially between sensory-seeking and sensory-avoiding needs. It also includes excellent ADHD rep and is written in a way that will help young readers understand neurodiversity with empathy for themselves and others. Selah learns that best friends don't always make the best roommates, but that doesn't mean they can't stay best friends. This book is interesting, full of well-drawn, unique characters, and contains so much wisdom. It was so good that I read it in one sitting. Another five-star book from Meg Eden Kuyatt!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Perfect Enough is an endearing story told in verse about Selah, an autistic girl who is determined to prove she can handle the challenges of sleep-away camp. Late night noise, intense friendship dynamics, and the arrival of her nemesis are just a few of the challenges Selah faces. She attempts to use her strategies to overcome those challenges, but she's quickly overwhelmed by the environment, miscommunications, and the pressure she puts on her own self. Throughout the summer camp experience, Selah learns about working with and communicating with others, accepting others for who they are, and that she can settle for "perfect enough." I loved how Selah overcame differences in her relationships and found an unlikely ally. This book is a wonderful way for young readers to discover strategies for their own relationships in addition to acceptance of others' and their own limitations. Meg Eden Kuyatt's poetry is a captivating and relatable format for the story, as well as an accessible way for both seasoned and struggling readers to engage. Many thanks to the publisher for the review copy.
June 23, 2026
PERFECT ENOUGH by Meg Eden Kuyatt is the companion novel to GOOD DIFFERENT. Selah is learning how to adapt to her autism diagnosis. She now knows why she does some of the things she does, and why she feels the way she feels about some things. She now has tools to help her cope.
Selah loves writing, especially poetry. Now that school is out for the summer, she has enrolled in Writing Camp. This means three weeks to concentrate on what she loves best - poetry - with other people with similar interests. She is looking forward to the experience, but she knows it will be a challenge.
Selah is roommates with Brooklyn and Rheya. At first all is well, but loud noises and bright lights when Selah needs quiet and darkness makes getting along a problem Selah isn't sure how to deal with. She also discovers her enemy Ezra is in the camp. Surprisingly, she and Ezra hit it off and actually begin working together on a project.
Kuyatt's novel in verse takes readers into the thoughts and processes of the autistic mind. This book is sure to connect with all readers interested in learning more about those who are neurodivergent.
Selah loves writing, especially poetry. Now that school is out for the summer, she has enrolled in Writing Camp. This means three weeks to concentrate on what she loves best - poetry - with other people with similar interests. She is looking forward to the experience, but she knows it will be a challenge.
Selah is roommates with Brooklyn and Rheya. At first all is well, but loud noises and bright lights when Selah needs quiet and darkness makes getting along a problem Selah isn't sure how to deal with. She also discovers her enemy Ezra is in the camp. Surprisingly, she and Ezra hit it off and actually begin working together on a project.
Kuyatt's novel in verse takes readers into the thoughts and processes of the autistic mind. This book is sure to connect with all readers interested in learning more about those who are neurodivergent.
July 31, 2026
It's the summer after everything changed at school for Selah, and she's looking forward to writing camp with her new friends--but her old bully, Ezra, is there too. Good Different is one of my all time favorites, and I was curious to see what was next for Selah. I was not disappointed.
The writing in verse was crisp and excellent. Selah's assumption that someone else's neurodivergent brain (ADHD) would work like hers (autism) made perfect sense and it also makes perfect sense how that all fell apart. And then the struggle of rooming with friends who have different sensory needs than you do, or who don't even think about sensory needs at all--it's absolutely brutal, and the book nails the stress and fear and anxiety that go along with it. These are kids who are making mistakes and learning and practicing how to do their best, and I loved them all. But my favorite bit is the end, which I wasn't expecting but was exactly the right resolution. I needed that message as a kid, and I still do as an adult.
The writing in verse was crisp and excellent. Selah's assumption that someone else's neurodivergent brain (ADHD) would work like hers (autism) made perfect sense and it also makes perfect sense how that all fell apart. And then the struggle of rooming with friends who have different sensory needs than you do, or who don't even think about sensory needs at all--it's absolutely brutal, and the book nails the stress and fear and anxiety that go along with it. These are kids who are making mistakes and learning and practicing how to do their best, and I loved them all. But my favorite bit is the end, which I wasn't expecting but was exactly the right resolution. I needed that message as a kid, and I still do as an adult.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
My 12-year-old daughter read this book. Her review is below:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ x ∞
Perfect enough was really good!! We follow Selah as she goes to a sleepaway camp as a neurodivergent. She has trouble sleeping at night even though they are her best friends, they are loud and don't let her sleep. There is a project for camp that is displayed at the end where she and her friends are working together, but they pick an idea without her.
A kid from her school that wasn't that nice to her at school is befriended and has adhd. It was a good description of how autism and adhd are alike but different.
I loved how it described autism and adhd as brain cousins. Both true and fun. It showed how autism can be like a superpower but also hard. It showed how making and keeping friends can be difficult, especially as someone who is on the spectrum.
Selah also finds a neurodivergent camp counselor who is nice, helpful and is always there for Selah.
In all it was the perfect sequel to Good Enough. Everyone who is neurodivergent/thinks they might be should read this series!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ x ∞
Perfect enough was really good!! We follow Selah as she goes to a sleepaway camp as a neurodivergent. She has trouble sleeping at night even though they are her best friends, they are loud and don't let her sleep. There is a project for camp that is displayed at the end where she and her friends are working together, but they pick an idea without her.
A kid from her school that wasn't that nice to her at school is befriended and has adhd. It was a good description of how autism and adhd are alike but different.
I loved how it described autism and adhd as brain cousins. Both true and fun. It showed how autism can be like a superpower but also hard. It showed how making and keeping friends can be difficult, especially as someone who is on the spectrum.
Selah also finds a neurodivergent camp counselor who is nice, helpful and is always there for Selah.
In all it was the perfect sequel to Good Enough. Everyone who is neurodivergent/thinks they might be should read this series!
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