Yes No Maybe So

by Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed

From New York Times bestselling authors Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed comes a heart-warming, hilarious story about the power of love and resistance.

Jamie Goldberg is cool with volunteering for his local state candidate - as long as he’s behind the scenes. There’s no way he’d ever knock on doors to ask people for their votes…until he meets Maya.

Maya Rehman’s having the worst Ramadan ever. Her best friend is too busy to hang out, her summer trip is cancelled, her parents are separating and now her mother thinks the solution to her problems is political canvassing - with some awkward guy she hardly knows ... 

Going door to door isn’t exactly glamorous, but maybe it’s not the worst thing in the world. After all, the polls are getting closer - and so are Maya and Jamie. Mastering local activism is one thing. Navigating the cross-cultural crush of the century is another thing entirely.

Praise for Yes No Maybe So:

'Heartwarming, poignant and very, very funny' Waterstones

‘[An] entertaining story of love, politics and idealism’ The I

'A novel bursting with hope, truth and action . . . Yes No Maybe So is about speaking up, showing up and being an effective ally. But at its core it’s a reminder that the Greta Thunbergs, Malala Yousafzais and Autumn Peltiers of today were once Jamies and Mayas: everyday teenagers who saw their house was on fire and worked tirelessly to extinguish the blaze' The New York Times Book Review

• ISBN10: 1471184668
• ISBN13: 9781471184666
• Publish Date: 4 February 2020
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Ltd
• Imprint: Simon & Schuster Childrens Books
• Format: Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
• Pages: 448
• Language: English

Reviews

[Berls]

This was so good! I loved the characters and the themes were incredibly relevant. I felt like the author did a great job of showing diversity in several forms (race, religion, sexuality). I also really enjoyed the teenage perspective on growing up diverse in an America that is very divided about diversity and rights right now.

Maya is a Muslim teenager - which brings in two diverse narratives. She's racially brown skinned and Muslim, two identities that have endured quite a lot of discrimination, especially in post 2016 America (which is a very specific frame of reference for this book, which comments explicitly on the 2016 election and how it changed things for discrimination in this country without naming Trump outright). I felt like the author did a fair job of presenting both identities as equally part of who Maya was, which I appreciated. Jamie is a Jewish teenager, who because of his white skin has escaped some of the discrimination Maya experiences, but isn't wholly spared. He also has gay best friends and another character comes out at one point. The sexual diversity is more of a nod than a focal point in the book, but it's not to be overlooked.

The diversity is fitting for this book, since Maya and Jamie are bonding while working on a campaign in a red district trying to flip a seat in a special election. As someone who has worked on campaigns (in red districts, supporting a blue candidate) I also appreciated the emotions they go through - the frustration, the excitement, the feeling of making a difference, and the disappointment. It was just a very relevant book for our current political moment and I would love to see this book finding its way into high school English class's curriculum. It shows the importance of being politically educated and involved and how the small elections are just as - if not more - important than the national ones. I think it's highly appropriate for a group of teens who are about to reach voting age.

Also worth noting - this isn't just a political statement book. It's a book about families, growing up, friendships (and how they change as we grow), and first love. The story - even without the politics - is a beautiful one.

I own this book in both print and audio, but I ended up listening to it and I'm really glad I did. The narration by Tiya Sircar and Michael Crouch brought the characters to life beautifully and they complimented each other well.

[katie]

am I crying happy tears or sad tears? the world may never know...

[Steph L]

Would rate this book higher than 5 stars if allowed. Oh my goodness I loved this book so.much. The story is very much needed today, and it is done fantastically. I loved Jamie and Maya, and I was rooting for them. I cheered and cried my through this book with Maya and Jamie. Sophie is a gyb supporting character, and I loved seeing her Bat Mitzvah.

[kiracanread]

This book, THIS BOOK.

I've never felt so physically in love with a book in my entire life, I wanted to get through to the end but I never wanted it to end, ever.

I laughed, I cried, I physically hurt whilst reading this book and I couldn't wholeheartedly recommend it more.

Yes No Maybe So is a young adult contemporary which touches on religion, racism, sexuality and politics in the most heart wrenching way possible. This book doesn't just graze over these matters and the social climate we're currently in, it seriously addresses the topics in an alarming and serious way whilst still keeping a very lighthearted tone to the whole book. It puts you in the shoes of people from different races and religions and it makes you feel what they feel. Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed did an INCREDIBLE job with this.

[Kelly]

It isn't that Jamie Goldberg is painfully shy, he's awkward and isn't a fan of social interactions after once vomiting during a conversation. Volunteering for the Jordan Rossum campaign suits Jamie just fine, he's happy to work behind the scenes, relishing his role as the official provider of snacks along with younger sister Sophie. Sophie is preoccupied by her upcoming bar mitzvah, his mother either working long hours or party planning for the event of the season, while Jamie finds solace wandering through his favourite store Target, contemplating life in the patio department.

Maya Rehman just can't catch a break. Her best friend Sara is preparing for college with her roommate, her parents are on a trial separation and all during the month of Ramadan. Two homes, no friends and no car. When Jamie and the Rossum campaign visits Maya's iftar feast to celebrate the holy month, Maya and Jamie are volunteered by their mothers to canvas for the campaign, knocking door to door to ensure democratic votes in the local election to fill a vacant seat.

What begins as two teens and former childhood friends reconnecting during the campaign, turns out to be a passion for change, to represent marginalised communities and push back against racist ideals of the conservative party. Such a timely read. With many conservative governments holding power within the western world, now more than ever we need books that emphasise the blatant racism and discrimination by our governments and how the smallest of actions can inspire change.

Jamie comes across as quite sullen, he's socially awkward and although he dreams of one day representing his community and becoming a senator, he can't imagine speaking in public without his lunch making a reappearance first. Although Jamie's parents are separated, his father rarely seeing Jamie and his sister Sophie now he's living in the Netherlands, his mother is a force to be reckoned with. She too works long hours for the local senator and involved in every aspect of her children's lives. Jamie is awestruck by Maya's beauty and her tenacity to fight for equality and although he's reluctant to meet new people by canvassing for the campaign, relishes the opportunity to spend time with Maya.

Maya is the more likeable character of the two. Although she's having a terrible time of it lately, she still tries to remain upbeat and positive. Hopeful that her parents trial separation is only a temporary measure. Maya's parents have one rule, no dating, her education is first and foremost. Being Muslim, Maya is also a character of faith and shares her experiences of racism and discrimination, more so of her mother who wears a hijab. In the local election, a racist conservative plans to introduce a new bill which would see head and face coverings banned and deemed as a security risk, the bill targeting Muslim women in particular who choose to wear the hijab. Maya's anger is palpable and with Jamie's support, the two teens petition the local office of the conservative senator to oppose the blatantly racist bill.

Yes No Maybe So isn't about the end result, it's about the journey we take to get there. Both Jamie and Maya are from marginalised backgrounds, essentially fighting against the conservative vote who encourage discrimination against marginalised communities, often hiding hate speech behind their Christianity. For many diverse communities in western countries, this is their reality. Even though both Jamie and Maya's concerns are dismissed by the local conservative candidate, it was interesting to see how tolerable both teens were of those with strong conservative beliefs. I'm not sure I could have extended such kindness. This is such a wonderful introduction to political activism for teens, start small and don't be afraid to set boundaries, it also reiterates the importance of how even the smallest of victories are still a positive step towards change.