Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli

ISBN 9780062643819
Published by Balzer + Bray, 2018
Genre/Format: Contemporary Realistic Fiction/ Paperback, Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook
Awards
- 2018 Goodreads Choice Award
- 2019 YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults
Reading Level Grades 9-12 (Amazon)
Plot Summary: This book is the sequel to Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda, although it’s not necessary to have read that book to enjoy this one. This book focuses on Simon’s best friend, Leah Burke, and begins just before spring break during their senior year of high school.

Leah, a drummer and an artist, is bisexual but hasn't come out to her friends yet. She has a crush on Abby, but Leah has tamped down those feelings because Abby is the girlfriend of her close friend Nick. She and Abby are both accepted to the same university and they make plans to attend the campus tour together over break. Fortunately, Abby has a friend who lends them her apartment during their visit, giving the teens a taste of college life. Of course, life gets complicated when Abby splits up with Nick just as spring break starts. Nick begs Leah to find out if Abby wants to get back together, but Leah is unsure how to proceed because her own feelings for Abby have resurfaced.

During their trip, the girls are invited to a party and, coincidentally, the hosts need a new drummer for their band. Abby has an impromptu audition, which sets her up for a great start to college life. As Abby and Leah grow closer they flirt and share a kiss; however, when Abby drops her off at home, Leah exits the car upset thinking that Abby only wanted to experiment with girls.

When school resumes, the kids turn their focus to the prom. Another friend from her group, Garrett, asks Leah to attend it with him. She agrees to go but neglects to mention that she only considers him a friend. The school year, and high school itself, is coming to an end and the transition to adulthood is not a smooth one, but prom is a night that Leah and her friends will never forget.

Author Background: Becky Albertalli was born and raised in the suburbs of Atlanta, GA during the 1980s and 90s. She earned a doctorate in clinical psychology and worked in that capacity with LGBTQI+ youth. When her son was born in 2012 she quit her job and started writing novels. Leah on the Offbeat is part of her Creekside High Series which includes Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda, The Upside of Unrequited, and the novella Love, Creekwood. Although she considered herself to be straight when she wrote Leah author came out as bisexual in 2020 in article on Medium.
Critical Evaluation: This book has wonderfully quirky and genuine characters that many can relate to. The representation of LGBTQI+ characters intersecting with various ethnicities and body types creates an authentic picture of teenage life in America. It strikes me as unusual that Leah, a unique and often dark teenager, has such a large and supportive group of friends, but it's a lovely change from the typical treatment of a plus-size girl as a loner. Nonetheless, Leah on the Offbeat is somewhat predictable in the way that most romantic novels are. Still, as messy as the friends’ friendships and relationships are, they provide a peek into the lives of real teenagers. These are not cookie cutter characters, they are your friends from high school and your kid’s friends from school, too.

Speed-Round Book Talk: Leah is overweight and never been kissed, and her single mother struggles with money. Sounds like a new version of Cinderalla...but no! Leah on the Offbeat will surprise you with her emotional transformation and self-acceptance that is sure to warm everyone's heart.
Library Program: Screen Love, Simon as part of an LGBTQI+ film festival in June for Pride
Potential Challenges: Censorship of books with gay and lesbian themes have a long history in the U.S., going back at least as far as Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass (Ricks, 2017). In 2020, CNN wrote that of "the top 10 most challenged books of 2019...eight were challenged because of LGBTQ content." These challenges and bans are discriminatory; the books in the library must represent our diverse community, including our LGBTQ friends and family.
Reason for Inclusion: Besides being a fun read, I chose this book because teen LGBTQ representation in libraries is critical. LGBTQ youth are at a higher risk for mental illnesses and suicide because many don't feel accepted in their school and communities. Including "LGBTQ voices that are far too frequently marginalized in classroom spaces....[is] a normalizing, everyday action any educator can make to clearly communicate LGBTQ students belong" (Perez, 2019).Some might challenge this book because of the LGBTQ characters, but that is precisely why this book should be included in a library.