Ellen Outside the Lines by A. J. Sass - ADVISABLE

Ellen Outside the Lines by A. J. Sass, 336 pages. Little, Brown and Company/Poppy. 2022 $17. 

Content: G. 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

13yo Ellen is on a class trip to Barcelona. Her first and only friend Laurel is also on the trip, but in the last few months, their friendship has been different. Ellen hopes this trip together can get things back to normal, but when Laurel and Ellen aren't assigned to the same group, Ellen must make new friends and get out of her comfort zone. This is especially difficult as Ellen is autistic. 

Ellen Outside the lines is more complicated than it sounds. Ellen, who has already come out as gay, meets a new friend who is gender-neutral and thinks she might be developing feelings for them. I liked the team conversations through texting - felt very realistic for today's kids and it made Ellen feel more confident sharing her ideas. Ellen also kept a "dot journal" where she makes lists and schedules - her trip to Barcelona changed how some things are categorized. I think lots of middle school kids can relate to Ellen's story - it's a time of finding yourself, learning how to navigate social situations, and growing up. Ellen is Jewish, which is also a major theme in Ellen Outside the Lines. 

Lisa Librarian