The Fall of Whit Rivera
by Crystal Maldonado
High School    Holiday    320 pp.
10/23    9780823452361    $19.99
e-book ed.  9780823457250    $11.99

It’s the beginning of Whit’s senior year, and after a summer spent in doctors’ offices instead of at the pool with her friends or video-chatting with her now-long-distance boyfriend, she is ready to get back on track. Her plan is simple: lead the school Fall Fest committee to autumn-themed excellence, get closer to her younger sister, help Abuela at the tailoring shop, and manage her polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) so she can enjoy fall to the fullest. Nothing, of course, goes according to plan: Whit and her boyfriend break up. PCOS causes exhaustion, weight gain, and newly sprouting facial hair. In her concerns about her sister being mistreated for being autistic, Whit must face the fact that she was engaging in slightly ableist behavior herself. And Whit is partnered to plan Fall Fest events with Zay, her frustratingly attractive ex from middle school. Maldonado’s writing warmly captures the charms and challenges of high school life for a Latina in a fat body, believably rendering the struggles and idiosyncrasies of teenagerhood. The heart-fluttering romance that ensues with the thoughtful Zay makes for a cozy autumnal read, but the depictions of friendship, family, and navigation of a chronic illness make this a solid choice for all seasons.

From the January/February 2024 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.