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TBH #6
TBH, You Know What I Mean
TBH, sometimes boys say dumb things about girls. And Cece is sick of it!
When she leads a super-successful event at school to raise awareness, everyone starts looking to her to take charge—of everything. Prianka needs ideas for National Poetry Month, Victoria wants advice on volunteer projects, and Gabby needs homework help.
To be honest, being a leader is fun but the pressure is OOC (out of control)! Can Cece help her friends without totally losing it herself?
When she leads a super-successful event at school to raise awareness, everyone starts looking to her to take charge—of everything. Prianka needs ideas for National Poetry Month, Victoria wants advice on volunteer projects, and Gabby needs homework help.
To be honest, being a leader is fun but the pressure is OOC (out of control)! Can Cece help her friends without totally losing it herself?
240 pages, Hardcover
First published March 9, 2021
67 people are currently reading
261 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Greenwald
37 books479 followersA long bio can be kind of boring, so instead I'm going to pretend
that a famous journalist (maybe Barbara Walters) is interviewing me.
The only thing is, I'm making up the questions.
If you think of any other questions you'd like me to answer, send me an email and ask away!
Q. Where did you grow up?
A. I lived in Fairfield, Connecticut until the end of fifth grade and then I moved to Roslyn Heights, New York. That's on Long Island. But I don't have a bad Lawn Guyland accent, I promise.
Q. Do you have any siblings?
A. Yes, I have two younger brothers. I always wanted a sister, but it's kind of nice being the only daughter in the family, and my brothers and I are really close.
Q. What about the rest of your family? Are you close with them too?
A. Yes, family is really important to me. I talk to my parents and grandparents every day.
Q. Are you married?
A. Yes, to a fabulous guy named Dave. We met at sleep away camp when I was sixteen.
Q. Do you have any kids?
A. Yes, my daughter Aleah Violet Rosenberg was born on May 28th, 2010 and I personally think she's the cutest baby in the world, but of course I am biased.
Q. Do you have any pets?
A. I had a miniature toy poodle named Yoffi, but he died in 2007. I miss him so much.
Q. That's sad. Do you think you will get another dog?
A. I would love to adopt one very soon!
Q. What is your favorite book?
A. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt is my favorite book in the whole entire world. I read it in sixth grade in Ms. Mayer's class. I have read many books since then, but Tuck Everlasting is still my absolute favorite.
Q. What is your favorite movie?
A. I have two. Clueless and Avalon.
Q. What's one of the craziest things that's ever happened to you?
A. I won a radio contest at the end of eighth grade! Someone from Z100 called me up and asked me to say the "phrase that pays" and I answered correctly. I won a thousand dollars.
Q. Did you always want to be a writer?
A. No, not always. I wanted to be a hair stylist, then a concert pianist, then a rabbi. But I always loved making up stories, so I think writing is the perfect job for me.
Q. Where did you go to college?
A. I went to Binghamton University in upstate New York. I was an English major with a concentration in creative writing. It's reallllllllly cold in Binghamton. Then two years after I graduated college, I went to The New School to get my MFA in writing for children.
Q. You mentioned that you met Dave at sleep away camp. Did you really like sleep away camp?
A. YES! I loved it. I went to Eisner Camp in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. I would go back to camp forever if only I could. Sleep away camp is the best place in the world.
Q. Tell me some other things you really like.
A. Okay. Here's a short list: sleeping late, fancy hotels, reading and writing (duh!,) peanut m&ms, flip flops, sweatpants, people watching, New York City, cheese omelets, weddings, pedicures, looking at old pictures and re-reading old cards and letters.
Q. Tell me some things you really dislike.
A. Peas, mean people, rats and mice, sweating, pants and skirts with a side zipper, spicy food, uncomfortable shoes, people clipping their nails on the subway, feeling lonely or thinking about other people who might feel lonely.
Q. MY LIFE IN PINK & GREEN is about a pharmacy. Do you really like pharmacies?
A. Yes, I love them! I love the way they smell and the way the aisles are arranged. I love when the pharmacists know the customers and I love looking at all the beauty products.
Q. Do you write every day?
A. I try to, but in addition to writing I also work in the library at The Birch Wathen Lenox School in Manhattan. I love being around kids and books and talking to kids about books!
Q. I don't have any more questions. Is there anything else you'd like to add?
A. Just that I hope readers like my book, and I'd love to hear from all of them if they want to talk to me!
that a famous journalist (maybe Barbara Walters) is interviewing me.
The only thing is, I'm making up the questions.
If you think of any other questions you'd like me to answer, send me an email and ask away!
Q. Where did you grow up?
A. I lived in Fairfield, Connecticut until the end of fifth grade and then I moved to Roslyn Heights, New York. That's on Long Island. But I don't have a bad Lawn Guyland accent, I promise.
Q. Do you have any siblings?
A. Yes, I have two younger brothers. I always wanted a sister, but it's kind of nice being the only daughter in the family, and my brothers and I are really close.
Q. What about the rest of your family? Are you close with them too?
A. Yes, family is really important to me. I talk to my parents and grandparents every day.
Q. Are you married?
A. Yes, to a fabulous guy named Dave. We met at sleep away camp when I was sixteen.
Q. Do you have any kids?
A. Yes, my daughter Aleah Violet Rosenberg was born on May 28th, 2010 and I personally think she's the cutest baby in the world, but of course I am biased.
Q. Do you have any pets?
A. I had a miniature toy poodle named Yoffi, but he died in 2007. I miss him so much.
Q. That's sad. Do you think you will get another dog?
A. I would love to adopt one very soon!
Q. What is your favorite book?
A. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt is my favorite book in the whole entire world. I read it in sixth grade in Ms. Mayer's class. I have read many books since then, but Tuck Everlasting is still my absolute favorite.
Q. What is your favorite movie?
A. I have two. Clueless and Avalon.
Q. What's one of the craziest things that's ever happened to you?
A. I won a radio contest at the end of eighth grade! Someone from Z100 called me up and asked me to say the "phrase that pays" and I answered correctly. I won a thousand dollars.
Q. Did you always want to be a writer?
A. No, not always. I wanted to be a hair stylist, then a concert pianist, then a rabbi. But I always loved making up stories, so I think writing is the perfect job for me.
Q. Where did you go to college?
A. I went to Binghamton University in upstate New York. I was an English major with a concentration in creative writing. It's reallllllllly cold in Binghamton. Then two years after I graduated college, I went to The New School to get my MFA in writing for children.
Q. You mentioned that you met Dave at sleep away camp. Did you really like sleep away camp?
A. YES! I loved it. I went to Eisner Camp in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. I would go back to camp forever if only I could. Sleep away camp is the best place in the world.
Q. Tell me some other things you really like.
A. Okay. Here's a short list: sleeping late, fancy hotels, reading and writing (duh!,) peanut m&ms, flip flops, sweatpants, people watching, New York City, cheese omelets, weddings, pedicures, looking at old pictures and re-reading old cards and letters.
Q. Tell me some things you really dislike.
A. Peas, mean people, rats and mice, sweating, pants and skirts with a side zipper, spicy food, uncomfortable shoes, people clipping their nails on the subway, feeling lonely or thinking about other people who might feel lonely.
Q. MY LIFE IN PINK & GREEN is about a pharmacy. Do you really like pharmacies?
A. Yes, I love them! I love the way they smell and the way the aisles are arranged. I love when the pharmacists know the customers and I love looking at all the beauty products.
Q. Do you write every day?
A. I try to, but in addition to writing I also work in the library at The Birch Wathen Lenox School in Manhattan. I love being around kids and books and talking to kids about books!
Q. I don't have any more questions. Is there anything else you'd like to add?
A. Just that I hope readers like my book, and I'd love to hear from all of them if they want to talk to me!
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
September 12, 2021
My favourite book in the series bc I like drama and texting in books. My favourite character is Cece bc she puts things together and believes in herself. I like how there is boy drama. This is my favourite series in the hole wide world. I like how you know the characters just by texting.
Read
October 26, 2020I have no idea about you but I am a little passionate about women’s rights. This book is about that. Cece is admired for doing what she thinks is right and doing it. By this, she starts 2 major events,(wish there were more) makes some strong decisions and survives middle. It is a-maze-ing
January 20, 2024
TBH I love these books, they are really easy to read and it is just like reading a real text string
February 17, 2022
I really liked it but I didn't read the first 5 books so I should probably read those before I rate it.
June 14, 2021
Yet another TBH book read in a day! Thoughts...
At the beginning of the book, I enjoyed the idea of Cecily standing up against the dumb boys and #broboom stuff around International Women's Day (IWD). But it seemed like that topic didn't last one bit. I was hoping to see more of Cecily's side that stands up for women (I LOVE LOVE LOVE books like that), but it let me down.
I don't know what it was, but the part about Prianka and Sage coming up with a bunch of ideas to do for poetry month wasn't enjoyable or interesting for me. Maybe it's because I'm not a poetry person. Maybe they talked about all of their ideas to much. I dunno.
Although, I will admit that it is interesting seeing a deep secret or something new sprout from the characters. [SPOILER FROM A PREVIOUS BOOK AHEAD!!!] Like Cecily discovering her crush on Mara. But in this book, it was that Gabrielle has ADHD. Bravo to Lisa Greenwald for making those topics not too confusing, and even if you can't relate to the topic, Greenwald still makes it interesting and relatable, but not in the literal sense. In some other sense that I can't explain.
Overall, another good installment in the TBH series.
Yes, I would recommend this book to friends.
Thank you very much for reading this review! :)
At the beginning of the book, I enjoyed the idea of Cecily standing up against the dumb boys and #broboom stuff around International Women's Day (IWD). But it seemed like that topic didn't last one bit. I was hoping to see more of Cecily's side that stands up for women (I LOVE LOVE LOVE books like that), but it let me down.
I don't know what it was, but the part about Prianka and Sage coming up with a bunch of ideas to do for poetry month wasn't enjoyable or interesting for me. Maybe it's because I'm not a poetry person. Maybe they talked about all of their ideas to much. I dunno.
Although, I will admit that it is interesting seeing a deep secret or something new sprout from the characters. [SPOILER FROM A PREVIOUS BOOK AHEAD!!!] Like Cecily discovering her crush on Mara. But in this book, it was that Gabrielle has ADHD. Bravo to Lisa Greenwald for making those topics not too confusing, and even if you can't relate to the topic, Greenwald still makes it interesting and relatable, but not in the literal sense. In some other sense that I can't explain.
Overall, another good installment in the TBH series.
Yes, I would recommend this book to friends.
Thank you very much for reading this review! :)
September 27, 2025
★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
📜book: tbh, you know what i mean
🍂author: lisa greenwald
🎧ྀི song: fifteen by taylor swift
fave lyric
well, in your life you'll do things
greater than dating the boy on the football team
i didn't know it at fifteen
🧸opinion: its good if you want a small 30 minute read in between books but not WOWIE THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD! THIS CHARACTER IS COOL BEANS :3 energy
🧺summary: cece organises a iwd school thingy and pri is inspired and does a poetry one and gabby is behind in her school work. cece doesn’t want to go to this camp with victoria and her other friends but doesn’t want to let them down leaving her feeling conflicted. then pri and gabby get invited to this fancy thing and not the others and gabby has add leaving everyone feeling messy.
🕯️fave characters: prianka – organized, mature, and opinionated. she wants things done a certain way and gets frustrated when people don’t follow through.
📜book: tbh, you know what i mean
🍂author: lisa greenwald
🎧ྀི song: fifteen by taylor swift
fave lyric
well, in your life you'll do things
greater than dating the boy on the football team
i didn't know it at fifteen
🧸opinion: its good if you want a small 30 minute read in between books but not WOWIE THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD! THIS CHARACTER IS COOL BEANS :3 energy
🧺summary: cece organises a iwd school thingy and pri is inspired and does a poetry one and gabby is behind in her school work. cece doesn’t want to go to this camp with victoria and her other friends but doesn’t want to let them down leaving her feeling conflicted. then pri and gabby get invited to this fancy thing and not the others and gabby has add leaving everyone feeling messy.
🕯️fave characters: prianka – organized, mature, and opinionated. she wants things done a certain way and gets frustrated when people don’t follow through.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2024
If your middle school years were rough (and seriously, were they easy for anyone?), the TBH series by Lisa Greenwald may be healing for you. They are for me. There’s just something about these books, written entirely in texts, notes, and emails, that is incredibly poignant for this specific time in life.
TBH, I Know What You Mean, book no. 6 in the TBH series, covered a theme of doing things your own way, even if that is disappointing to loved ones. As a middle schooler, I didn’t know how to communicate my needs; it is so beautiful to see these fictional but relatable characters growing and learning to communicate and stand up for themselves.
As a mama of a tween girl, the series is also weirdly helping me navigate this time period in my daughter’s life. I’m thankful I found this series and can’t wait to read the final two books in the series.
TBH, I Know What You Mean, book no. 6 in the TBH series, covered a theme of doing things your own way, even if that is disappointing to loved ones. As a middle schooler, I didn’t know how to communicate my needs; it is so beautiful to see these fictional but relatable characters growing and learning to communicate and stand up for themselves.
As a mama of a tween girl, the series is also weirdly helping me navigate this time period in my daughter’s life. I’m thankful I found this series and can’t wait to read the final two books in the series.
May 29, 2021
A little boring. When I came across this book in the library, I was very excited; I had never read a book in text form before. Turns out this form is not for me. It was hard to get to know the characters from just texts, notes, and emails. Also, I didn't even know who half the people were, because, 1) I have not read the others, and 2) it did not explain. Anyway, I liked what was going on. But it didn't really seem like Cecily was taking on too much work. I don't know. I also think that these girls are using way to many emojis! :)
June 23, 2024
This is a fun read and a great comfort book and I like that while reading it feels as if you are looking at someone’s texts but since the whole novel written as texts it’s hard not to finish this in under an hour. The texts also sometimes seem a little fake and not like someone my age would actually say, but other then that I still love Lisa Greenwood’s books and will definitely keep reading the rest of the books in this series and I would recommend this as an easy read if you want something that doesn’t take to much effort or time to understand or finish.
July 24, 2020
pretty good!
Its a good book, but veeerrrrryyyyyyy dramatic. Too dramatic for me tbh 😂 but if Lisa did it on purpose, its a very good book. 😂😜👀👐
Its a good book, but veeerrrrryyyyyyy dramatic. Too dramatic for me tbh 😂 but if Lisa did it on purpose, its a very good book. 😂😜👀👐
March 1, 2021
Love love love love.
July 8, 2022
I think I'm reading this when I'm too old for this. I didn't like how dramatic these girls were and I feel like the series could have ended.
Read
June 1, 2023Flopped
September 18, 2024
Great book Lisa never disappoints
September 22, 2024
I liked how it was in text messages.
July 30, 2024
AMAZEBALLS
This book is amazing I totes recommend it
I love it so so so much can’t wait to read #7!!!
This book is amazing I totes recommend it
I love it so so so much can’t wait to read #7!!!
November 26, 2020
This book is absolute garbage. Let me explain why. Also, SPOILER ALERT.
1.) There is WAY too much drama. Every few pages there is some new drama that spikes up. The girls' life is drama-filled. Everything they say is something related to the drama that is happening in the story.
2.) The characters' lives are straight up unrealistic. Things they do, say, act like is all something 7th graders don't do. Like, come on. Cece gets her Women's History Month presentation (which she presented in front of the whole school) got on TV, but she didn't get interviewed. How does that work?? Also, you don't just get your stuff on TV just like that. The reason it got on TV is even more unrealistic. One of Gabrielle's friend's aunt is a producer for a TV channel. I'm pretty sure for things to get on TV, they need to be planned and well chosen.
3.)
1.) There is WAY too much drama. Every few pages there is some new drama that spikes up. The girls' life is drama-filled. Everything they say is something related to the drama that is happening in the story.
2.) The characters' lives are straight up unrealistic. Things they do, say, act like is all something 7th graders don't do. Like, come on. Cece gets her Women's History Month presentation (which she presented in front of the whole school) got on TV, but she didn't get interviewed. How does that work?? Also, you don't just get your stuff on TV just like that. The reason it got on TV is even more unrealistic. One of Gabrielle's friend's aunt is a producer for a TV channel. I'm pretty sure for things to get on TV, they need to be planned and well chosen.
3.)
Read
February 6, 2025I like to try novels in different forms. A series running this long - in the form of texts/notes/emails sounded promising. I can see how this book might be better for young (middle school) readers. I can imagine that this is how a lot of pre-teens not only communicate but feel when they're in this part of their life.
Many passages and "problems" the main characters faced were rather problematic. Many relationships highly underdeveloped (but what can one expect from a novel in texts).
Despite the jagged, uneven way in which it is written, I still maintained a strong sense of some of the characters.
I might've liked this more when I was younger.
Many passages and "problems" the main characters faced were rather problematic. Many relationships highly underdeveloped (but what can one expect from a novel in texts).
Despite the jagged, uneven way in which it is written, I still maintained a strong sense of some of the characters.
I might've liked this more when I was younger.
July 14, 2020
Better than the last two. That were way less whiny in this one.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews