P.S. I Like You
By Bess Maher,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Charming contemporary romance hits all the right notes.
Add rating
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this book.
Where to Read
Community Reviews
Based on 1 parent review
p.s. I like you
Report this review
What's the Story?
In P.S. I LIKE YOU, junior Lily Abbott refuses her best friend Isabel's efforts to set her up with a guy. "I'm awkward and weird and it's not fun at all for me or the poor soul who agrees to go out with me," Lily tells Isabel. Still, she's been secretly pining for a senior named Lucas. When her chemistry teacher won't let her doodle in the notebook where she jots down ideas for writing songs -- her passion -- she writes the lyrics to her favorite song on the desk. Someone continues the lyrics to the obscure song, and soon they're writing full-on letters to each other. Lily falls for this person who shares her taste in music, "balances" her, and gets her sense of humor, but she's afraid she could never be the cool, confident girl she appears to be on the page. Meanwhile, she finds an ad for a songwriting contest, the winner earning a scholarship to a prestigious music school. Will she muster the courage and confidence to enter -- and finally finish a song? And what will she do now that Isabel's ex has taken an interest in her?
Is It Any Good?
Parents and teens will like the message in this refreshing book of being true to yourself, even when you don't fit in. Lily is a non-mainstream teen who's not mopey or self-destructive. She has a loving family, and she puts her family, friends, and songwriting passion before guys. And even though her self-esteem wavers, she knows deep down that a guy she can't be herself around isn't the right guy for her.
The resolution to the letter-writing mystery isn't a surprise, but it's not meant to be. The main thing is that Lily gains confidence and learns not to jump to conclusions about people -- and treat them harshly as a result. It's a fine message for teens and everyone.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how self-esteem is explored in P.S. I Like You. Have there been times you wanted to change to fit in? Have you ever wanted to change for a boyfriend or girlfriend? Have you ever been bullied or bullied someone else?
Is it a good idea to change for a romantic partner? What kinds of qualities are worth changing for someone else? What kinds of qualities are not worth changing for someone else?
Does putting a boyfriend or girlfriend first, before your friends, family, and interests, make you feel good about yourself? Does it make that person like you more?
Book Details
- Author: Kasie West
- Genre: Contemporary Fiction
- Topics: Brothers and Sisters , Friendship , High School
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Point
- Publication date: July 26, 2016
- Number of pages: 304
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: January 27, 2019
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Read
Our Editors Recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate