★ 08/01/2023
Gr 9 Up—High school senior Effie wishes the college application process could be as easy for her as it is for her friends and classmates without visible disabilities. Greek American Effie is cued white, has cerebral palsy, and is the only person at her school who uses a wheelchair. When apathetic school administrators create an arbitrary policy that keeps her from being physically able to join her friends for off-campus lunch, Effie realizes she must start advocating for herself if she's going to be ready for college in the fall. Effie and her friends stage a sit-in to protest the policy, which solidifies Effie's goals of pursuing journalism and advocacy. College applications loom, and while Effie's friends get to make life decisions based on academics, location, and feel, Effie and her mom have crafted a detailed spreadsheet of variables based on the accessibility of each school (or in many cases, lack thereof). A family visit to Effie's dream school in New York City provides some glaring examples of the challenges that await Effie once she leaves home: elevator outages in subway stations, a gravel path that runs through the heart of campus, and the school's lack of disability representation among the student body. Effie's dry humor, determination, and strong sense of self drive the plot forward. VERDICT A refreshing upstander story that buoys realistic disability advocacy with humor, grit, and a witty protagonist worth rooting for.—Allison Staley
★ 2023-03-14
A college-bound teen with cerebral palsy learns to advocate for herself.
Even though her friends are buzzing about senior year and their college plans, Greek American Euphemia Galanos can’t muster the same enthusiasm. For Effie, an aspiring journalist, choosing a college is fraught with additional variables: Are the dorms wheelchair accessible? How easily can she navigate campus? Such concerns threaten to derail her dream of attending New York’s prestigious Prospect University, home to an excellent journalism program…and the choice of her crush, Wilder. As if Effie doesn’t have enough on her plate, she faces discrimination from Mill City High’s administration—and this time, her mother insists she manage things herself. But Effie isn’t used to speaking up, and her efforts go awry. How can she show her mom she can handle moving from Minnesota to New York if she can’t be assertive? And will she ever get the chance to tell Wilder how she feels? Forrest, also a wheelchair user with CP, explores the role of media representation in developing self-confidence and refreshingly highlights the importance of disabled peers. Readers will appreciate Effie’s conflicted, insightful introspection and appraisals of her options; those who struggle to speak up will empathize as she finds her voice. Supportive friends and family and a sweet romance add warmth. Wilder reads White; there’s some racial diversity among the supporting cast members.
Affirming, uplifting, and thoughtful. (Fiction. 13-18)
Praise for Where You See Yourself:
A Schneider Family Book Award Honor Book
A School Library Journal Best Book
Chicago Public Library Best Teen Fiction
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
A New York Public Library Best Book for Teens
"An absolutely necessary and affirming addition to YA shelves." — BuzzFeed Books
"An effervescent, emotional story with all the makings of an instant YA classic." — BookPage
"This is a sweet, sometimes funny coming-of-age story with just the right amount of sigh-worthy romance in the mix." — Common Sense Media
★ "A refreshing upstander storywith humor, grit, and a witty protagonist worth rooting for." — School Library Journal, starred review
★ "Affirming, uplifting, and thoughtful." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review
★ "A refreshing and empowering debut. Pitch-perfect rom-com moments bursting with dry humor." — Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Funny, true, and tender, this is a beautiful and resonant debut." — Nina LaCour, Printz Award-winning author of We Are Okay
"Big hearted and beautiful. I'd follow Effie anywhere." — Elana K. Arnold, National Book Award finalist author of What Girls Are Made Of
"A sweet, moving, and triumphant story about finding your voice and the power of taking up space in a world that doesn't always see you." — Brandy Colbert, award-winning author of The Voting Booth
"Where You See Yourself will have your heart bang-snapping, melting, and dropping into your butt." — Anna Meriano, author of This Is How We Fly and It Sounds Like This
"Forrest's triumphant, warm-hearted, and romantic debut takes ableism to task while celebrating both learning and fighting for what you deserve. I cheered, I cried, I fist-pumped." — Dahlia Adler, author of Cool for the Summer
"Heartfelt, wry, and unputdownable,Where You See Yourself is a must-read." — Nicole Kronzer, author of Unscripted
"Where You See Yourself is a book I needed as a disabled high school senior. What a gift Forrest has given readers." — Lillie Lainoff, author of One for All
"A beautiful portrayal of disability and going after your dreams. Where You See Yourself is equal parts relatable, romantic, and necessary." — Melissa See, author of You, Me, and Our Heartstrings
