Kate in Waiting

The author of best selling novel Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda is back with a fresh new story about high school, friendship, and love. High school junior Kate Garfield is used to sharing crushes with her best friend Anderson. They’ve always crushed on the same guy, and things are no different this year—they’re both head over heels for Matt, the sweet theater kid who’s new to their high school. While Kate and Anderson have bonded over their shared crushes in the past, things are different this time, competitive rather than companionate. As Kate and Anderson pursue Matt and prepare for their school’s upcoming production of Once Upon a Mattress, their friendship is on the rocks in a way it’s never been before.

Like Albertalli’s other books, Kate in Waiting is filled with warm, funny, and real characters. While romantic relationships are one major focus of the novel, this is also a story centered around the value of friendships and the sense of connection and family to be found behind the scenes of high school musicals. Sweet, funny, and full of heart, Kate in Waiting is a welcome addition to the young adult shelves.