Greta
by J. S. Lemon
Middle School    Farrar    208 pp.
9/24    9780374392178    $17.99
e-book ed.  9780374392185    $9.99

Greta Goodwin is starting seventh grade amidst change. Her family is moving out of her childhood home, puberty is starting to rear its confusing head, and she has her first crush on classmate Derek. Luckily, some things remain the same, like her annoying little brother and her relationship with her best friend, Lotti. When Derek’s flirtatious advances at a party turn assaultive, Greta’s world begins to shift—and so does the plot, which takes an unexpected turn into something more fantastical. As Greta grapples internally with her assault, her body begins to take on new color and shape. In a particularly science fiction–esque scene, she wakes from a dream to find a translucent, filmy skin peeling off her body. Though unclear to the book’s characters at the time, readers will surmise that she is metamorphosing into something insect-like. While classmates tease her for her strange new appearance, Greta has never felt more beautiful: her transformation allows her to feel strong and protected from manmade harm. “For the first time since I was little, my body was something I felt good in; I wasn’t wishing it was different.” Greta’s sarcasm and wit throughout, combined with her beautiful friendship with Lotti, bring a necessary balance to a challenging story. In the end, Greta has fully, satisfyingly transformed into a winged creature; untouchable and free.

From the ">November/December 2024 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.