Something Like Possible

April 3, 2023
In this sprawling queer drama by Moreland (It Goes Like This), Midwestern 15-year-old Madison lives for political organizing and dreams of securing a future as a campaign manager. She’s convinced that managing her girlfriend Jade’s bid for junior class president will be a breeze, until Jade dumps her and subsequently fires her just before the start of campaign season. Madison then rear-ends Mr. Braun, the student government adviser and the one person she needs to impress if she hopes to attend a prestigious political organizing summer program. To obtain necessary experience, she must get back into Mr. Braun’s good graces and secure another candidate to compete against Jade. Luckily, Madison convinces classmate Victoria to hire her as campaign manager. As romance blossoms between the two teens, their campaign becomes complicated when they discover a secret history of sexual harassment within the student government. While this lengthy read’s plotting wavers in the third act, it offers a convincing portrayal of a determined teen tackling issues of homophobia, political awareness, self-harm, and sexual assault all while doggedly pursuing her own dreams and ambitions. Ages 13–up. Protagonists read as white. Agent: Jessica Errera, Jane Rotrosen Agency.

April 15, 2023
A 15-year-old Minnesota girl knows exactly what she wants, but life is about to show her that there may be more than one way of getting there. High-achieving Madison has a plan, specifically The Plan, mapped out in her Life Notebook, detailing exactly what steps she needs to take to reach her dream of becoming a political campaign manager. First, she needs to successfully manage the campaign to get Jade, her girlfriend, elected as their school's next junior class president, which will help her earn a scholarship to attend the Youth Politics Boot Camp, which will in turn increase her chances of getting into her dream college, Georgetown. However, Madison's plans are thrown off course when Jade both dumps and fires her. Determined to keep moving ahead, Madison quickly finds a promising new candidate in kind and intriguing Victoria. As the relationship between Madison and Victoria shows signs of budding into something more, everything seems to be falling back into place. But when Madison discovers a sexual harassment scandal within her school, she will once again have to fight to maintain control of her future. The supportive friendships between the multiple queer characters are endearing and refreshing. However, the pacing of more serious plot points feels unbalanced, with little time given for readers to become invested in and then digest these important events and themes before the story wraps up. Main characters are White. An engaging but unevenly paced story about perseverance and solidarity. (resources) (Fiction. 14-18)

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