Just last month, the presidential election took place. With it, a lot of political opinions have risen in EHS students. We aren’t here to make any controversial statements, though—we’re just here to recommend the perfect book for this tension-filled time. Yes No Maybe So by Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed follows Jamie and Maya through dual perspectives as they navigate their way through a complex senatorial election.
Jamie, a Jewish boy with social anxiety, fears public speaking, yet has dreams of becoming a famous political figure. Jamie’s family has always been involved with regional elections and works hard on upcoming campaigns. Maya, a Muslim girl with internal fears of change, finds out her parents are getting divorced—completely flipping her life.
Previously, Maya was never interested in politics, but finds her voice when advocating for issues she believes in, such as freedom of religion and women’s rights. After meeting each other in an unlikely situation, Jamie and Maya work together to try to impact the election’s outcome, catching feelings for each other along the way.
Jamie’s awkward yet adorable character is the perfect complement to the headstrong and outgoing Maya, and their undeniable chemistry has us all squealing. Not only is the romance swoon-worthy, but their friendship is as well. Although they may have their differences, Jamie and Maya are always there for each other, and they slowly become best friends as the novel progresses.
In addition to the story’s adorable romance, Albertalli also incorporates various important social issues in her novel. Through her writing she emphasizes issues such as racism, religious identity, and political activism. Albertalli’s descriptions of Islamophobia and anti-semitism opened our eyes to a nuanced understanding of our prejudices. Jamie and Maya’s political canvassing becomes intertwined with their fight for their own religious freedoms. Albertalli’s depiction of these teenagers’ determination to improve the world is inspirational to readers of all ages and encourages everyone to play a part, no matter how small, to make their community a better place.
While the book is overall a great read, there are some improvements that could be made. For one, Maya’s easily irritable character can be challenging to like. We understand that she is dealing with many hardships, but occasionally, the rash way she deals with certain situations has us all cringing internally.
Throughout the novel, Maya and Jamie overcome their fears and find their voices. They advocate for issues that matter to them, and it’s inspiring to see this. Books like these increase motivation in teens to fight for social justice issues. The plot twists and storyline were engaging, and seeing Maya and Jamie fight for causes that might ring true in our own life is powerful. All in all, we really enjoyed this novel and think it’s worth a read for everyone, regardless of political alignment: Maybe now you’ll be encouraged to participate in activism of your own.
