No One Needs to Know

Gr 9 Up—Olivia and her twin brother, Liam, are wealthy latchkey kids who don't see their parents much. Zoey is a working-class girl helping support her single mother and little sister in their rough neighborhood near Seattle. When Liam falls for Zoey, Olivia and the other girls at her school don't approve, since Zoey has a reputation as a notorious boyfriend-stealer. But when Liam invites Zoey to come with him and Olivia to their lake house, Olivia and Zoey discover a mutual attraction. It's a surprisingly sweet take on two girls falling in love and struggling with their feelings, their families, and their baggage, but not with any homophobia—not even from the jilted brother, who is surprised but approving. Told in alternating viewpoints, readers see Olivia and Zoey navigate their feelings and their complex social situation with clear writing and a well-paced plot. There is some language and drug usage, but the general message of love and support among different people shines through brightly. "Wholesome" is a strange word to describe a YA book that deals with tricky class issues, sexual orientation, mean-girl bullying, and love triangles, but this story earns that description.—Kyle Lukoff, Corlears School, New York City