Meet Me at the Picket Line

by Jasper Sanchez

Unionizing his job wasn’t on Eli Goldstein’s summer bucket list—but neither was falling for his irritatingly self-righteous and handsome school rival. Sparks fly on the picket line in this hilarious, coming-of-age rom-com that’s perfect for fans of Jason June, Page Powars, and A.M. Woody!

All’s fair in love and solidarity...

Eli Goldstein might be the only teenager looking forward to earning minimum wage at his objectively terrible summer job. Not only will he be working at the kitschy roadside museum he loves, he’ll finally have the down payment for his top surgery with a first-class surgeon.

But the museum really is a late-stage capitalist hellscape, and Eli’s co-workers—led by his irritatingly self-righteous and annoyingly attractive school rival, Efraín—plan to unionize. With his sanity and safety at risk on the job, Eli knows he has to join their campaign.

If he and Efraín can stop bickering long enough to keep their ragtag union together, they might actually have a shot. But when management begins to grow suspicious, Eli will have to make a choice: Is he willing to stand in solidarity with his friends and the boy he’s starting to fall for, even if it means risking his job and the key to his life-changing surgery?

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Queer, Contemporary, Jewish, LGBT, Transgender

432 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication May 26, 2026

About the author

Jasper Sanchez is the author of The (Un)Popular Vote, a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection. He earned his BA in anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania and his MA in cinema and media studies from UCLA. While neither degree prepared him for the neoliberal hellscape of late-stage capitalism, they did push him to join the IWW as a red card-carrying Wobbly. He is a Californian by birth, disposition, and more recently, choice. When he's not writing, he can be found kvetching about capitalism and conversing with his cat. You can visit him online at www.jaspersanchez.com.

Reviews

[Marieke (mariekes_mesmerizing_books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes I read a story at the exact right moment. A novel gets published at the right time. Its characters fit the current world so well—the current US. Meet Me at the Picket Line is such a book. Because what’s more relevant these days than a story about teens fighting back against inhumanity, micro-aggressions, and marginalization? Teens who fight for their rights. Meet Me at the Picket Line is a story about resilience, resistance, and change. About finally speaking up and not accepting no for an answer.

I loved Jasper Sanchez’s writing. I am always so happy when the prose is vivid and colorful enough that I, someone whose mind usually only sees things in vague gray shapes, can picture the scenes so clearly. And Elisha, Eli, an autistic trans teen who is saving for top surgery, is incredibly relatable. He’s angsty at times. Egotistical. He spits out words. His interiority is wordy and fast. I laughed out loud at Efraín’s remark at one point:
”Elisha. In ten words or less.”

So yes, Eli is flawed. But his struggle to be seen as a trans guy is so real, and this book should land in the hands of all trans teens. And in the hands of parents. Teachers. Friends of trans teens. It’s informative and educational without being preachy.

I really adored the side cast too. I would have liked to see a bit more of Naomi, but maybe there’s a reason the reader does not see much of her. Eli tends to claim attention without meaning to. He simply doesn’t notice.

And then there is Efraín, that opinionated, compassionate guy I wanted to shout at from time to time. Doing so much for others and not caring about himself at all.

Do not read this book if you hate messy, flawed teens. But if you love boldness and a group of friends who believe it’s worth fighting for each other AND for others, I urge you to pick up this wonderful story.

Thank you, Harper Collins Children’s Books and NetGalley, for this important ARC!

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[Aly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such an important read for YA readers who identify with the rep in this story. I loved following the journey of Eli, a pedantic, queer, trans, Jewish, and autistic teen, as he navigates complex social issues like injustice and transphobia. The protesting theme was done really well, and I found myself highlighting so many impactful lines. Plus, the audio was excellent and really brought the characters to life. It is a solid YA read that balances heavy topics with a necessary sense of community and action.

Thank you to HarperAudio and HarperCollins for the ARC and ALC!

[Gordon Ambos]

Unfortunately, I had to dnf this one. There's nothing wrong with it, but I'm just not in the mood for such heavy subject matter right now. Maybe I'll give this one another shot later on.

[Cass · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free e-arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.

I pretty much flew through this book. It was a little bit hard to get into at first, but very quickly I needed to know what happened next. It is important to know that, given the state of the world right now, it can be a very heavy read sometimes, but it is still hopeful. If you are able to read it right now, it will be worth it.

The main characters are teenagers and neurodivergent, which you are reminded of very often. They're also pretty horrible at communicating, and while it does get better, this was very frustrating at first. A lot of issues Elisha had in the beginning of the book probably could have been sorted in with a conversation with Efraín. Of course, this probably would have meant a shorter book as well.

Personally I also had some issues with an argument in the book. As mentioned in the synopsis, Eli is saving for top surgery, and risking his job means risking his medical treatment. However, this and other things get held against him despite the fact that medical care is necessary. Some things referenced don't even otherwise occur in the book, which makes it hard to take seriously.

However, regardless of those things in the book, it was still very good. There is a lot of representation, including the main character having two moms, which I still am pleasantly surprised by to read. There is also a lot of social justice commentary, and while sometimes it might come across as preachy, when characters do that they get called out as well. As Sanchez says, this is not a how-to manual to organize a workplace, but it still gives ideas, and I wish I read it earlier in my life as it is very inspiring.

In this state of the world as well, it must also be said how good it feels to see the characters win. They might technically be small victories in the grand scheme of things, and some things do get blown way out of proportion, but they're still winning. In a society where rights are being attacked every day, especially trans rights, even fictional wins feel good.

Overall, this is a very good read, albeit heavy sometimes. I am very much looking forward to release day when everyone will be able to enjoy it.

[Devanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book: Meet Me at the Picket Line
Author: Jasper Sanchez



Genre: Children’s Fiction, YA, LGBTQIA+
Series: Standalone
Setting: Small Town in California
POV: Main Character POV


My Thoughts:

This story revolves around a small group of friends who work at the museum based on the fictional hit show “Nuclear Seasons.” The main character Eli is a transgender teen who is so excited to finally work for the museum based on his favorite show and hopefully save for his top surgery downpayment due at the end of summer. Along with his small group of friends, Eli learns that the workplace within the “Nuclear Seasons” museum is not the most inclusive of individuals. This book revolves around workplace discrimination, understanding one’s rights, and how to be resilient when facing difficult times.

When reading this story, I found it to deviate from the queer narrative of injustice in a way that does not require heavier critical analysis. Sanchez writes so that any individual reading this story can understand both the characters’ personal narrative/journey AND how a workplace can discriminate/not be affirming to its employees.

This story really dove into Eli’s character and his personal journey/queer joy that he finds in the “Nuclear Seasons” tv show. Even though the show itself is fictional, I found that I enjoyed the connections that Sanchez created to be symbolic of Eli’s character and personal journey being transgender.

What I loved most about this story is how Eli’s small group of friends not only promote his growth as an individual but also join together to support him in the negative retribution found by his employers.

What I would have loved to see is more of Efraín’s background/narrative as an individual activist. This was mentioned in the book briefly but I would have loved to see more of this in the story or even a spinoff of his story.

I want to thank HarperCollins Children’s Books, HarperCollins, Jasper Sanchez, and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[V · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5
Meet Me at The Picket Line is a wonderful queer young adult story with neurodivergent main characters! The main character, Eli, is an AuDHD bi trans teen boy and the love interest, Efraín, is an ADHD bi teen boy. The ensemble of characters as a whole is very diverse and the main characters are flawed, but very lovable. Eli and Efraín as characters are very well written; their emotional growth as individuals and as a couple throughout the story felt very fulfilling as a reader. The romance between the two boys is very sweet with the two having great chemistry and matching each other's energy well. The plot of this story centering around collective action and unionizing was very engaging, incredibly poignant, and overall very well done. The audio book is beautifully narrated by Avi Roque who brings a lot of emotion and personality to their performance as Eli and the other characters.

What I liked most:
~ Great disability representation (autistic and ADHD MCs)!
~ Trans representation (trans MMC)!
~ Diverse ensemble of characters!
~ Poignant pro-union plot!
~ Wonderful narration!

Break down of my rating:
overall rating: ★★★★★ 4.5/5
♿️ disability rep: ★★★★★ 5/5
💙 romance: ★★★★☆ 4/5
📘plot / writing: ★★★★★ 5/5

Thank you HarperAudio Children’s for providing me with a ARC of this audio book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Theo · Rating 4 out of 5]

It doesn't escape me that I happened to pick up this ARC whilst in the midst of negotiating my own union contract at work, and frankly, I don't think that this could have come at a better time. Though fictional, I drew inspiration from Eli and Efrain as they navigated a world not designed with them in mind. Existing as a queer, neurodivergent person is difficult enough, but I can't imagine adding the stress of developing a union as a teenager. Standing up for your rights and the rights of others is an important message in "Meet Me at the Picket Line", with the romance being a subplot, allowing the characters to shine through in their own ways.

While not the most enthralling book I've read this year, I still think that Sanchez's writing made for an interesting plot. My one true gripe is that, at times, both Eli and Efrain got on my nerves, which I think has more to do with the fact that I think the same way they do, thanks to my neurodivergency, and then it got me wondering if I also get on people's nerves like that! In any case, I did enjoy the book and I think I have some patrons who will also enjoy reading this when it hits the shelves.

[ChristineReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is so much good to say about this book. It comes at a time where so many rights for trans youth are being stripped away and it took such care with Eli and gave such a clear voice to some of the struggles trans and gender diverse youth face on a daily basis. We really get a sense of how distressing the little moments can be, and how they add up to so much more. I think this story is one that really captures how we can show up and support those around us.

I especially loved the neurodivergent representation in this book and how that can look vastly different in each person. I though the author took such care with there explorations and explanations of Eli and other character's thoughts. I enjoyed watching the dynamics between Eli and his sister and Eli and his friends.

Ultimately I think this is a beautiful story about realizing who you have supporting you and learning not to be an island. It explored so many things well! I hope this book finds it ways into so many readers hands! Thank you to the publisher for providing an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Sacha · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

Prospective readers who love YA, especially when it's full of well executed intersectional representation, will find so much to love about this book.

Eli is working at a new summer job with one goal in mind: saving for top surgery. When he shows up with a button that reveals his pronouns, he runs into a managerial road block. What better way to proceed than by unionizing?

A lot happens in this novel, but it can happen successfully because, for a YA novel, it's lengthy. There's time and space to explore Eli's identities, his growing relationship with Efrain, challenges that are unfortunately common in our capitalist nightmare, some unexpected empathy, and some expected bigotry and transphobia. Though one must invest some time in this novel, the benefit is that none of these throughlines feel underdeveloped or disrespectful.

This is my first book by this author, and I enjoyed the experience. I'll recommend it to my students and look forward to whatever Sanchez writes next!

*Special thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for this arc and alc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

[gracie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oof this was heavy. Yes there were content warnings at the start of the book but I was still not quite prepared for it all.

I really enjoyed reading this. I think the author did a good job of establishing both internal and external stakes, and of showing how much of an emotional battle unionizing truly even with the creative liberties Sanchez took in its betrayal. I was just not as interested in the romance between Eli and Efrain as I was Eli's character struggles but I still thought they were very cute.

The audiobook narrator added so much life to the narration that I just had no choice but to listen to it all in one go!

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins for the alc in exchange for an honest review

[Pujashree · Rating 4 out of 5]

YA story with trans and neurodivergent protagonist with a focus on unionizing narrated by Avi Roque is a combination that is irresistible. I really adored how much heart and vulnerability is in this. It's a rare setting where the main plotisnt just about young adult issues but about workplace dynamics shared with adults. I adored Eli's group of queer and neurodivergent teens working their summer jobs at a local pop culture museum and learning how to unionize, and discovering all the ways they aren't alone. Avi Roque 's narration of yet another beautiful transmasc story is flawless and full nuance and empathy. Not a lot of YA, even queer YA is refreshing these days but this one really was. I just wish it was edited to be much tighter. Thanks to Netgalley for the audiobook ARC.

[_Kayreads_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

First Thank you for allowing me the chance to read the arc and review this book.

Second, this book was well written as well as the plot was wonderful. I love the idea of speaking up and fighting for yourself and rights. I know right now in the climate we are in and we see this live it seems to be told differently but we need the truth. We need our voices heard.

The love story was second and I felt that was a good way to showcase it. I enjoyed the characters and their relationships within the story.

This is my first for this author and won’t be my last.

[Paige Preti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a notorious mood reader, so signing up for ARCs always stresses me out—I’m terrified I won’t finish in time.

That being said… this story would NOT let me forget about it. Honestly, it should be required reading. I learned more about unions from this book than I ever did in college, and somehow it never felt heavy.

Plus, Eli and Efrain? Adorable. Truly. And honestly, the entire cast of characters is just so good.

[Lesley]

I wish I could wholeheartedly recommend this, but I struggled with several issues throughout the book. I hope that this book finds its audience. The premise is great, the representation is wonderful and varied, and I did really love the ending.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.

[Rebekkah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jewish representation + forming a union + a museum/tourist attraction—what more could one want? I enjoyed this. I did, occasionally, get frustrated by Eli and (to a lesser extent) Efrain's actions and decisions, and I was sometimes a little bogged down by their dramatic speeches, but I appreciated that they both grew throughout the book and recognized some of their own flaws by the end. 3.5 stars, rounded up.

Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.