Nav’s Foolproof Guide to Falling in Love

Gr 9 Up–A heartwarming and relatable story about coming to terms with change, growing up, and getting out of one’s own way. Lewis uses humor and heart to illustrate normalcy within the queer experience as well as within dealing with anxiety, offering readers kinship and resonance. The book follows Nav, the witty main character, as she balances working part-time with high school. New girl Gia asks Nav for help getting to know her best friend Hallie; amid hangouts and fake dates to prep Gia, who has an anxiety disorder, for the real thing, feelings inevitably get involved. Lewis’s writing is clear and informative, balancing difficult topics, such as divorce, feelings of abandonment, and more with an engaging narrative that has readers feeling as though they are Nav’s best friend. What sets this book apart is its ability to distill the complexity and vulnerability of Nav’s life experiences into digestible and captivating entries. Readers will also laugh along as Nav falls in love with Gia (and her dog Jordan!) and shows off her smarts. Nav is Black; Gia has a Mexican American mother and an Italian father.