October 20, 2026 by Quill Tree Books
E ARC provided by Blue Slip Media
Rowan Monahan's family is deeply invested in their hometown of Friendship Prairie. His Uncle Lucky runs the local pub, where the family members work, and his cousin Ty is on the high school football team. His mother Maggie is involved in many community initiatives, and has a lifelong dream to restore the run down Jepson house near the family's home. When it is town down and a big new house is built, she is angry. Rowan stutters and has some developmental delays, but it's a small town, and people understand. He's somewhat concerned about starting high school, and his best friend, Mark (who may be on the autism spectrum), is anxious as well. Neither boy is as anxious as Gemma Caplan, whose mother Clare inherited the Jepson house and moved Gemma and her triplet brothers from the city out to the country after retiring from the law after having heart issues. Gemma has speech apraxia, so doesn't communicate verbally. Instead, she uses an AAC (Augmentative/Alternative Communication tablet). She has some social anxiety as well, and is particular about her clothing. Her mother does relent and drives her to school so she doesn't have to take the bus, but it is a big change. When both Rowan and Gemma are seeking a little quiet to gather themselves, they meet in an art room storage area. Rowan is having a bit of a melt down, but is nonplussed by Gemma's AAC tablet. He helps her get to her first period class, and hopes to see her again. The people in Friendship Prairie are not happy with all of the new development, and the new people in town. Rowan reminds his mother that she is usually kind to everyone, and she does take brownies to the Caplans, but when she realizes that Clare was the one who side swiped her car at school pick up, things don't end well. Rowan's cousin Ty is aggressive toward the Caplan triplets, Tom, Nick, and Harry, even though they seem like they are friendly and a good addition to the football team. After Clare decides to run for the school board, community feelings run high, and Maggie throws her hat into the race. The parents' arguments greatly affect Rowan and Gemma, who at one point go around town replacing negative campaign signs with positive ones. The homecoming dance is the night of the school board elections, and the couple decides to attend, even if they don't want to tell their families. When the weather turns rough, the town realizes that the health and happiness of its citizens is more important than politics.
Strengths: I'm not entirely sure that most middle schoolers will get the Romeo and Juliet references, but there are many of them for readers who love a twist on Shakespearian or classic tales like Rhodes' Runaway Gold or LaRocca's Much Ado About Baseball. Friendship Prairie is an interesting small town with a lot of built in drama, and there are many small towns struggling with an influx of new citizens right now, at least in Ohio. It's difficult to see one's town changing. While Clare does have ties to the community, she keeps them under wraps. Rowan and Gemma's struggles and embarassments are realistically portrayed, and they have a very sweet romance. I do wish that more middle grade books depicted early high school experiences, and I appreciated that while things were challenging, they weren't absolutely horrible. There's an exciting and generally happy ending to round things off.
Weaknesses: I would have much preferred more glimpses at Rowan and Gemma's high school experience rather than all of the family drama and the community uproar about the school board election. Seeing the two of them try out different groups, work on school projects, and perhaps raise awareness for different health conditions would have been more helpful than the immature bickering the mothers and townspeople got caught up in. Also, the dance would have to be held on a Tuesday, or the elections on a Friday, in order for the results to be announced the same night as the homecoming dance.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who want to understand what it is like to navigate the world with conditions that are different from the mainstream. Most young readers will have met someone like Rowan, but Gemma's AAC tablet is much more visible and might not be something they have encountered. Add this to Kuyatt's Good Different or Vrabel's A Blind Guide to Stinkville as a book to promote understanding and empathy.
Weaknesses: I would have much preferred more glimpses at Rowan and Gemma's high school experience rather than all of the family drama and the community uproar about the school board election. Seeing the two of them try out different groups, work on school projects, and perhaps raise awareness for different health conditions would have been more helpful than the immature bickering the mothers and townspeople got caught up in. Also, the dance would have to be held on a Tuesday, or the elections on a Friday, in order for the results to be announced the same night as the homecoming dance.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who want to understand what it is like to navigate the world with conditions that are different from the mainstream. Most young readers will have met someone like Rowan, but Gemma's AAC tablet is much more visible and might not be something they have encountered. Add this to Kuyatt's Good Different or Vrabel's A Blind Guide to Stinkville as a book to promote understanding and empathy.
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