The Story
Jazz's life recently has been...a lot. After her mom left her dad for her yoga instructor (what a cliché), Jazz and her dad had to create a new normal. So when Jazz saw a chance to be one of her school's It Girls, she went all in, leaving her best friend Lo behind.
But being a popular girl doesn't feel like she'd hoped. Even though it's fun to be admired, she isn't sure the It Girls actually care about her. They're always pressuring her to look and act a certain way--and worse, they want her to start dating, even though there aren't any boys she likes that way.
When Jazz is unexpectedly paired up with music geek Ren in history class, Jazz gets this feeling...like butterflies. But Ren's a girl. Jazz is totally fine with other people being gay and queer, but she never thought she was. And what would happen if the It Girls found out? Confused by her feelings and not sure who to talk to, Jazz finds herself missing her old friend Lo and wondering if she'll ever feel like she can talk to her mom again. Mixed up in a sea of emotions and expectations, Jazz needs to figure out who she wants to be and whether or not being popular is worth it after all.
The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.
Author: Melanie Florence
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Published: 05/19/2026
Pages: 192
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.45lbs
Size: 7.40h x 5.00w x 0.60d
ISBN: 9781459840959
Audience: Ages 9-12
Review Citation(s):
School Library Journal 12/01/2025 pg. 67
Foreword 04/27/2026
About the Author
Melanie Florence is a writer of Cree and Scottish heritage and has been writing full-time since 2010. She is the author of Missing Nimâmâ, which won the 2016 TD Canadian Children's Literature Award, Stolen Words, which won the 2018 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Award and the bestselling Orca Soundings titles He Who Dreams and Dreaming in Color. She lives in Toronto with her family.
Description
Jazz's life recently has been...a lot. After her mom left her dad for her yoga instructor (what a cliché), Jazz and her dad had to create a new normal. So when Jazz saw a chance to be one of her school's It Girls, she went all in, leaving her best friend Lo behind.
But being a popular girl doesn't feel like she'd hoped. Even though it's fun to be admired, she isn't sure the It Girls actually care about her. They're always pressuring her to look and act a certain way--and worse, they want her to start dating, even though there aren't any boys she likes that way.
When Jazz is unexpectedly paired up with music geek Ren in history class, Jazz gets this feeling...like butterflies. But Ren's a girl. Jazz is totally fine with other people being gay and queer, but she never thought she was. And what would happen if the It Girls found out? Confused by her feelings and not sure who to talk to, Jazz finds herself missing her old friend Lo and wondering if she'll ever feel like she can talk to her mom again. Mixed up in a sea of emotions and expectations, Jazz needs to figure out who she wants to be and whether or not being popular is worth it after all.
The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.
Author: Melanie Florence
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Published: 05/19/2026
Pages: 192
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.45lbs
Size: 7.40h x 5.00w x 0.60d
ISBN: 9781459840959
Audience: Ages 9-12
Review Citation(s):
School Library Journal 12/01/2025 pg. 67
Foreword 04/27/2026
About the Author
Melanie Florence is a writer of Cree and Scottish heritage and has been writing full-time since 2010. She is the author of Missing Nimâmâ, which won the 2016 TD Canadian Children's Literature Award, Stolen Words, which won the 2018 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Award and the bestselling Orca Soundings titles He Who Dreams and Dreaming in Color. She lives in Toronto with her family.
