"A girl with social anxiety becomes the secret voice of the advice column in her middle school newspaper"-- - (Baker & Taylor)

Starting middle school after her best friend moves away, Autumn, the secret voice of the “Dear Student” letters, doesn’t know what to do when she makes new friends who don’t like each other until the unthinkable happens. Simultaneous eBook. - (Baker & Taylor)

When Autumn becomes the secret voice of the advice column in her middle school newspaper she is faced with a dilemma--can she give fair advice to everyone, including her friends, while keeping her identity a secret?

Starting Middle School is rough for Autumn after her one and only BFF moves to California. Uncertain and anxious, she struggles to connect with her new classmates. The two potential friends she meets could not be more different: bold Logan who has big ideas and quiet Cooper who's a bit mysterious. But Autumn has a dilemma: what do you do when the new friends you make don't like each other?

When Autumn is picked to be the secret voice of the Dear Student letters in the Hillview newspaper, she finds herself smack in the middle of a problem with Logan and Cooper on opposite sides. But before Autumn can figure out what to do, the unthinkable happens. Her secret identity as Dear Student is threatened. Now, it's time for Autumn to find her voice, her courage, and follow her heart, even when it's divided. - (Random House, Inc.)

Elly Swartz grew up in Yardley, Pennsylvania. She studied psychology at Boston University and received her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. Elly lives in Massachusetts and is happily married with two grown sons, a beagle named Lucy, and a pup named Baxter Bean. Finding Perfect, called "a clear, moving portrayal of obsessive-compulsive disorder" by Publishers Weekly, was her debut novel. She is also the author of Smart Cookie and Give and Take, novels for middle grade readers.

You can find Elly on Twitter @ellyswartz, on Instagram @ellyswartzbooks, on YouTube's Books In the Kitchen with author Victoria J.Coe: https://youtu.be/T0Hzr0DTJ94. Her website is www.ellyswartz.com. - (Random House, Inc.)

Kirkus Reviews

Speaking for those who can't speak for themselves helps one girl find her fearlessness. The first day of sixth grade at Hillview Middle School is stressful enough for Autumn Blake without the added pressure from her dad to participate in just one thing. Not a fan of being noticed, finding her special thing feels daunting, especially without her best friend, Prisha, who has moved to California. The answer unexpectedly comes when Autumn is chosen by her teacher to be the anonymous voice behind "Dear Student," the school newspaper's advice column. Her excitement soon turns to worry, though, as she finds herself in the middle of a divisive community issue with new friends Cooper and Logan on opposing sides. Also confusing are Autumn's feelings about her dad, who left to work with the Peace Corps in Ecuador, leaving Autumn, her little sister, and her veterinarian mom behind in Cape Cod. Autumn's inner life will resonate with anyone who has experienced social anxiety, as will her feeling that she is the only one who can't figure out how to navigate the school cafeteria. Themes of animal rights and socio-economic diversity are handled thoughtfully and with nuance. Jewish Autumn and most main characters read as White; Prisha is cued as Indian, and close family friend and veterinary office manager Malcolm has brown skin. A heartfelt story about finding the courage to stand up for your beliefs even when you'd rather remain invisible. (Fiction. 8-12) Copyright Kirkus 2021 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved.

PW Annex Reviews

Sixth grade at Hillview Middle School is off to a rocky start for budding writer and earnest narrator Autumn Blake, who is Jewish and cued white. Her father's idealism led him to abruptly join the Peace Corps in Ecuador "six postcards ago," and he now wants her to "get involved in one thing at school." Her best friend Prisha, who reads as of Indian descent, has relocated across the country. And with finances tight, Autumn, along with little sister Pickle and guinea pig Spud, move from a house in to a small apartment above her mom's Cape Cod veterinary clinic. But Autumn opens herself up to her dad's advice to "seize the day," and despite her anxiety tries to cope with the new circumstances. Soon, she's chosen for the coveted role of writing "Dear Student"—an anonymous advice column that's the school newspaper's most popular feature. It's apparent early on that sensitive Autumn is far more competent than she gives herself credit for, and even as Swartz (Give and Take) gracefully builds further incident into the protagonist's life—giving advice while retaining anonymity, navigating social anxiety and battling friends, finding a way forward when she discovers a local cosmetics company tests on animals—there's little doubt that she'll end the book in a good place, one that celebrates her newfound faith in others and herself. Ages 10–up. Agent: Andrea Cascardi, Transatlantic Agency. (Feb.)