Suitabook

Noah Frye Gets Crushed

Maggie Horne

Reading: A child might read this with an adult available for brief, non-leading conversations about crushes, identity and consent to social attention. Pause after awkward incidents to consider repair, then revisit the ending because its precise resolution is not established here.
Themes: Belonging and changing friendship: Noah returns from camp to find Zoey and Luna focused on boys, while she also tries to include Jessa in the social group. Friendship is presented as capable of surviving strain, while inclusion and attention to others are treated as important.
Identity beyond expected romance: Noah pretends to have a crush on Archie while repeatedly thinking about Jessa and questioning why she does not share her friends' interest in boys. The book presents this favourably.
Honesty, harm and repair: Noah lies about her crush and pursues an experiment involving Archie; her inexperience leads to an insult and hurt feelings. Pretence is shown as causing interpersonal harm, while honesty, accountability, forgiveness and kindness are identified as important themes.
Worth knowing: Some situations may merit a little preparation: Noah lies about a crush, tries to involve Archie, and is described as hurting his feelings and facing criticism for bullying behaviour. The book also includes kissing, crushes and financial strain at home.