Common Sense Media Review
By Mary Eisenhart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Gender, identity, self-harm in emotional middle school tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
In JUST SHY OF ORDINARY, 13-year-old Shai Stern has a lot on their plate. They're nonbinary, and not sure who to tell about it outside the family. Shai's mom, who used to homeschool them, lost her job in the pandemic, moved them in with the family of her longtime friend Thierry, and is now always busy trying to learn skills and find work. Shai is an anxious kid to begin with, and all this stress leads to nonstop skin-picking on their arms, which they've been concealing from everyone. Shai researches and strategizes their way out of any problem, so after turning to the internet for advice on how to fix all this, they come up with an elaborate master plan to create a new normal—starting with going to public school for the first time ever. As so often happens, things don't quite go according to plan, and there are surprises, starting with being placed in 9th grade.
Is It Any Good?
Gender identity, Jewish culture, life changes, self-harm, and middle school are a lot for an anxious 13-year-old to deal with in A.J. Sass's tale of a nonbinary Wisconsin teen seeking a new normal. Just Shy of Ordinary may sometimes leave the reader as overwhelmed, info-overloaded, and confused as the narrator, but there are a lot of relatable moments along the way, too. Shai discovers they can't research their way out of every situation—and that other people are often more capable than you give them credit for.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about gender identity and how it's a theme in storytelling. How does Just Shy of Normal compare with other stories you know that also deal with the subject and how identity affects people's lives?
Would you rather do homeschool or go to regular school? Why?
Shai is very, very good at finding information on any subject—but also one to make important life decisions based on a blog post. Do you think this is a good idea? Why, or why not?
Communicating feelings and asking for help are important themes in this story. Why is it hard sometimes to communicate what's going on or to ask for help? What can make it easier?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Emotions
- Topics : Friendship , School ( Middle School )
- Character Strengths : Communication , Empathy , Humility
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
- Publication date : January 30, 2024
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 384
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Award : ALA Best and Notable Books
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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