Review: Where You've Got to Be
Where You've Got to Be by Caroline Gertler Greenwillow Books, 2022 Category: Middle Grade Reviewer: Stacy Nockowitz Buy at Bookshop.org Nolie has always felt like she lives in the shadow of her accomplished older sister Linden. Though Linden is just 12 years old, she’s ambitious and well on her way to becoming a star ballerina (and a really moody pre-teen). Eleven-year-old Nolie, on the other hand, feels adrift as she hasn’t yet discovered anything she’s passionate about, and her busy parents fuss over Linden all the time. Adding to her worries is Nolie’s best friend Jessa, who wants to be “cool” in sixth grade and seems willing to leave Nolie behind to do so. Caroline Gertler’s second novel, Where You’ve Got to Be , is a compassionate story about adolescence, identity, and the bonds that both heal us and challenge us. Nolie, in her quest to have something of her own, steals items from friends and family members. She knows what she’s doing is wrong, but she is desperate to find som...