Maybe He Just Likes You

By: Barbara Dee

Narrated by: Emily Rankin

Length: 5 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

Barbara Dee explores the subject of #MeToo for the middle grade audience in this heart-wrenching - and ultimately uplifting - novel about experiencing harassment and unwanted attention from classmates.

For seventh-grader Mila, it starts with some boys giving her an unwanted hug on the school blacktop. A few days later, at recess, one of the boys (and fellow trumpet player), Callum, tells Mila it's his birthday, and asks her for a "birthday hug." He's just being friendly, isn't he? And how can she say no? But Callum's hug lasts a few seconds too long, and feels...weird. According to her friend, Zara, Mila is being immature and overreacting. Doesn't she know what flirting looks like?

But the boys don't leave Mila alone. On the bus. In the halls. During band practice - the one place Mila could always escape.

It doesn't feel like flirting - so what is it? Thanks to a chance meeting, Mila begins to find solace in a new place: karate class. Slowly, with the help of a fellow classmate, Mila learns how to stand her ground and how to respect others - and herself.

From the author of Everything I Know About You, Halfway Normal, and Star-Crossed comes this timely story of a middle school girl standing up and finding her voice.

©2019 Barbara Dee (P)2020 Listening Library

Could not put it down!

Knew it was good from all the reviews I had already read about it on Twitter. So glad I had the chance to read along with the performers!

empowering book

The story touches on a topic not often covered at this grade level. I think that anyone can relate to this book.

Too good!!!

I loved this book!!! It teaches you how to handle boys when they are doing thing you don’t like. And it tests friendship. I think this book should be read by boys and girls. I told my friend that she should read it, she said ‘I love this book’ And I talked about puberty. . .
And how to deal with it. And to never have ANY ONE make you feel uncomfortable about your body.

Overly simplistic (spoilers)

3.5 STARS

SPOILERS

When Mila is sexually harassed, she finds little support and understanding from her friends and the school. At home, she protects her stressed-out, single mom from the pain.

Barbara Dee has written an important, yet often unrealistic, middle grade novel about middle school sexual harassment. Dee gets right through lack of understanding among her friends (one thinks it’s flirting) and their different reactions. The diverse characters in MAYBE HE JUST LIKES YOU give depth to the story.

What I didn’t like was the overly simplistic ending and how the harassment was handled within the school. A teacher facilitates Mila telling them boys how she feels, they repeat her words, get detention, develop insight and act nice to her and everyone lives happily ever after. From the moment Mila told, everything fell into place textbook perfectly. There were no entitled parents defending their sons, no boys who didn’t deal remorse. Middle grade kids on the cusp of their teen years deserve a little more credit for being able to absorb more than a Disneyesque ending.

I do recommend MAYBE HE JUST LIKES YOU as an important book for all readers.

a great perspective

As we grow up we often forget how a teenager has to deal with the same issues but in a world we're they sometimes feel unheard. This is a great book for a teenager and their grownup to read together to start the conversation about sexual harassment at school- cause it does happen.

Good but odd

Good story but the ending was odd and felt abrupt. I loved everything but the ending.

Very YA

Vaguely unsatisfying. Thought the characters were too whiney.
But maybe that’s how middle school kids are and I’m too far removed? My son is 17 so just 4 years from middle school but I don’t recall his behavior being close to any of the kids in this book from that time of his schooling.

Amazing book!

I love this audiobook so much! Being a girl I have been told “Maybe he just likes you!” Way to many times! I now have a book to listen to that reminds me I’m not alone, but is also just an amazing book to listen to in my free time!

Great book for girls, moms, teachers...

This is an important book with an important topic. It should be a must read for all middle school kids.

It was so good so emotion

I loved the ending it was so good the motion was priceless and it was amazing book right more please!