Something More

By: Jackie Khalilieh

Narrated by: Parmida Vand

2024 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Awards, Short-listed
2024 Snow Willow Award, Short-listed
2024 Amy Mathers Teen Book Award, Short-listed

A contemporary teen romance novel featuring a Palestinian-Canadian girl trying to hide her autism diagnosis while navigating her first year of high school, for fans of Jenny Han and Samira Ahmed.

Fifteen-year-old Jessie, a quirky loner obsessed with the nineties, is diagnosed as autistic just weeks before starting high school. Determined to make a fresh start and keep her diagnosis a secret, Jessie creates a list of goals that range from acquiring two distinct eyebrows to getting a magical first kiss and landing a spot in the school play. Within the halls of Holy Trinity High, she finds a world where things are no longer black and white and quickly learns that living in color is much more fun. But Jessie gets more than she bargained for when two very different boys steal her heart, forcing her to go off-script.

©2023 Jackie Khalilieh (P)2023 Tundra Books

Critic reviews

One of Audible Canada's Best of 2023
One of the New York Library's Best Books for Teens for 2023
One of CBC's Best Canadian Books for Kids and Teen for 2023
One of Kids Committee List's Red Maple Fiction Readers Books for 2024

"As an autistic person herself, Khalilieh presents readers with a genuine protagonist. Jessie’s identity as the daughter of Palestinian immigrants is woven into the novel through cultural elements and brief explorations of Palestinian issues. . . . [A]n enjoyable read that will have readers rooting for Jessie’s success in love and life." —Kirkus Reviews

"Jessie’s attempts to define herself within her school and home life are enhanced by Khalilieh’s own experiences as an autistic Palestinian Canadian, imbuing Jessie’s challenges with organic-feeling nuance and making for a fully realized protagonist. [A] thought-provoking and thoroughly entertaining debut that centers questions of identity via a fresh lens." —Publishers Weekly

"This is the best kind of YA romance, brimming with endearing adolescent awkwardness, bittersweet soul-searching, angsty emotions, and lovable, realistic characters. Something More is a warm, sweet, hope-filled portrayal of neurodivergence and coming of age that spoke deeply to my heart, as a grown woman who was once a confused, awkward (unbeknownst to her then) autistic girl, who’s learned, just as Jessie does, to understand and love her neurodivergent self. I adored it." —CHLOE LIESE, author of Two Wrongs Make a Right

"Compelling and so relatable, this unique YA romance is filled with memorable characters and vibrant prose. I loved watching Jessie’s journey to accept that high school friendships, as well as first love, can be messy and unexpected, and still be so joyous. Jessie’s emotions and struggle to fit into a neurotypical world seem so authentic, and the author perfectly portrays feelings of teenage longing and yearning for connections. An essential book for YA autism representation." —FARAH HERON, author of Tahira in Bloom and Accidentally Engaged

Incredible autism rep!! A must read!

I love this book so very much!! Long story short: 5 stars, would recommend to absolutely anyone, groundbreaking and important authentic representation that sets the bar high, and refreshing YA storytelling.

Something More has been my most anticipated read of 2023, and it did not disappoint. The way Jackie Khalilieh approaches telling a story that creates positive, authentic representation is excellent and a breath of fresh air. This book doesn’t seek to fit into neurotypical, white, or American standards, but instead forces the standards to evolve to include narratives it always should have included but so rarely does. It is powerfully autistic, shamelessly Palestinian-Canadian, and deeply intersectional—and the way it does this is by simply existing.

The story is told so naturally through an extremely close first-person perspective of an autistic girl. As an autistic woman who saw a lot of her younger self in Jessie, even I didn’t know what to do with this at first because I am so not used to seeing autism shown with such completeness, affinity, and disregard for allistic norms. I love it! My expectations for autism/disability rep have forever been raised!

I loved the story and the characters, but just about anything could’ve happened in the plot and I would still be hearing singing Jackie Khalilieh’s praises because where this book shines is in her immersive writing.

Things are revealed to the reader when Jessie comes to understand them, not when the story necessitates them. Things aren’t presented as black and white, they just are black and white because that’s how Jessie sees them. The way autism is represented in Jessies’s thought processes, inner monologues, worries and excitements, actions and behaviors, goals and interests—it’s incredible and so rich. Jessie’s emotions are big and they swing back and forth all the time. She feels so deeply and gets so deep into things—people included. She is working on overdrive to figure out the right thing to say and do in every moment. (Oof, too relatable.) The book perfectly captures the dialectic of autism—you don’t fit in or like the fakeness that so many people rely on (especially in high school) and at the same time, you’re always working hard to mask and pretend to survive. I know this all too well and it’s so hard to explain. This book illustrates it, not explains it.

This book is slice of life. This book is authentic. This book throws you into the deep end of being an autistic teenager and says “learn to swim here or drown.” People might not understand the book, they might not understand Jessie. But that’s because they don’t understand autism. And books like this? They help change that and move the needle forward. People will read this book and gain a better understanding of what autism really looks and feels like. This may happen by the time they finish reading, or this book may be a seed that will bloom later. Either way, that’s real impact. And some people will see themselves in Jessie. People will realize their autistic thanks to this book. People will learn to love themselves thanks to this book. People will be moved to tell their own stories and ditch their shame thanks to this book. Something More is making the world better and changing lives, point blank. We need more books like this and more authors like Jackie Khalilieh.

And I know I said anything could’ve happened in this book and I still would’ve loved it, but I do adore the plot. It was so fun watching Jessie navigate being the point of a love triangle, sneak her way into the school musical, make (and keep) new friends, and connect deeper with her family. This book has everything from New Year’s Eve festivities to bra shopping to epic Valentine’s Day karaoke to football game friendship drama and so much more. It was such a treat to spend Jessie’s freshman year with her. Can’t recommend it enough :)

Heartwarming and relatable

I loved going with Jessie on her first year of high school, navigating her new diagnosis, her new friends, new goals, crushes and new experiences. I saw myself in everything she thought and felt and now I carry her in my heart ❤️

"Something More" is Healing :)

As an autistic & Arab woman, this book was VERY relatable. It healed the teenage version of myself that didn't know she still needed healing. I'm so grateful that a book like this exists. It's wonderful to have my experiences reflected and validated. I hope that NT / non-Arab people will read this beautiful book as a learning experience. It's perfect insight into my teenage brain! Thank you, Jackie, for your bravery and for writing such an intimate portrayal.