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Not If I Can Help It (Scholastic Gold) Paperback – August 3, 2021

by Carolyn Mackler (Author)
4.7 out of 5 stars 168 ratings
Editors' pick Best Books Ages 9-12
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From award-winning Carolyn Mackler, the story of Willa, who has been living with Sensory Processing Disorder but is thrown for a BIG loop when her dad announces he's dating Willa's best friend's mom.

Not If I Can Help It joins the Scholastic Gold line, which features award-winning and beloved novels. Includes exclusive bonus content!

Willa likes certain things to be certain ways. Her socks have to be soft . . . and definitely can't have irritating tags on the inside. She loves the crunch of popcorn and nachos . . . but is grossed out by the crunch of a baby carrot. And slimy foods? Those are the worst.

Willa can manage all these things -- but there are some things she can't deal with, like her father's big news. He's been keeping a big secret from her . . . that he's been dating the mom of Willa's best friend Ruby. Willa does NOT like the idea of them being together. And she does NOT like the idea of combining families. And she does NOT like the idea of her best friend becoming her sister overnight. Will she go along with all of these changes? NOT if she can help it!

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  1. Reading age
    8 - 12 years
  2. Print length
    256 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    3 - 7
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.75 x 7.75 inches
  6. Publisher
    Scholastic Inc.
  7. Publication date
    August 3, 2021
  8. ISBN-10
    0545709512
  9. ISBN-13
    978-0545709514
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Best Friend Next Door:"[Mackler] gives a spot-on portrayal of the ups and downs of young friendships." --Kirkus Reviews"[Mackler] insightfully portrays the complexities of friendship and adapting tochange... An engaging, supportive read." -- Booklist"Charming." -- School Library Journal

About the Author

Carolyn Mackler is the author of the popular teen novels, The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things (A Michael L. Printz Honor Book); Tangled; Guyaholic; Vegan Virgin Valentine; and Love and Other Four-Letter Words. Carolyn's most recent novel, The Future of Us, cowritten with bestselling author Jay Asher, has received starred reviews, and the film rights have been sold to Warner Brothers. Best Friend Next Door is her first novel for a younger audience.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Scholastic Inc.
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 3, 2021
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0545709512
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0545709514
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 8 - 12 years
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.75 x 7.75 inches
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 3 - 7
  • Best Sellers Rank: #81,562 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 out of 5 stars 168 ratings

About the author

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Carolyn Mackler

Carolyn Mackler

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Carolyn Mackler is the author of the popular teen novels, The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things (A Michael L. Printz Honor Book), Infinite in Between, Tangled, Guyaholic, Vegan Virgin Valentine, and Love and Other Four-Letter Words. Carolyn's novel, The Future of Us, co-written with bestselling author Jay Asher, received starred reviews and appeared on several bestseller lists. Carolyn has also written Best Friend Next Door, a novel for younger readers. Carolyn's novels have been published in more than twenty countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, France, Italy, Korea, the Netherlands, Denmark, Israel, and Indonesia.

Carolyn lives in New York City with her husband and two sons. Her new novel for teens, The Universe is Expanding and So Am I, will be published in May 2018. This is the long-awaited sequel to the Printz-honor winning novel, The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things.

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4.7 out of 5 stars
168 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • KP
    5.0 out of 5 stars My 9-year-old gave this 5 stars
    Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Good book
    One person found this helpful
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  • Mary K.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent quality and a great book for my 5th grader
    Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    It’s a North Carolina Elementary Battle of the Books choice for this school year. Fast delivery!!
    One person found this helpful
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  • Jean
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Book my grand daughter Read for Battle of the Books
    Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    This book was chosen by the committee for students in Battle of the Books. It caught her attention and read the book enthusiastically.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Delilah
    4.0 out of 5 stars good book
    Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2020
    I like it, it’s official. ;-; PEREOD POO YAAAAAAASS . . . . . . . . . . .
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Kristin M Herrmann
    5.0 out of 5 stars We loved it!
    Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    We read this book as a class read aloud and we were sitting on the edge of our seats waiting to the end! Great book!
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Jennifer C.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Such a great book!
    Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2022
    Willa is in fifth grade and has Sensory Processing Disorder. Though things haven't always been great, life has been pretty good recently. Yes, she can't stand tags in clothing, or seams in socks, or the texture of yogurt, and various other things as a result of the SPD, but she has her best friend Ruby and the occupational therapist, Maureen, that she sees twice a week, and she's going to be getting a dog (finally!!!!) at the end of the school year.

    Once thing that Willa definitely doesn't like is change. And, suddenly, change is all Willa is experiencing. Especially when her dad tells her that he's been dating Ruby's mom, for almost 2 years, and they're in love. As the changes begin to roll in, it's more that Willa can handle. She's not going along with these changes. Absolutely NOT! Not if she can help it!

    Mackler did such a great job with Willa's characterization and the description of what it's like to have Sensory Processing Disorder, as well as the anxiety of other people finding out. The character descriptions and development of the other characters are also done exceptionally well. It's so great to see kids with disabilities, especially disabilities that are often invisible, as the protagonists of books.

    I really enjoyed the growth that Willa goes through over the course of the book. I don't want to say too much about the changes, because I don't want to spoil anything from the plot, but seeing her get hit with all the changes that crop up and learn how to deal with them was great; her growth was made even better by the self-reflection she engages in throughout the novel. This is definitely a great book that would be great for any middle-grades reader.

    I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Taylor Meskiman, and loved it. Meskiman's performance was spot on, and the voice work for the characters was perfect - even down to the voice of the teacher actually sounding like she was congested from allergies. It was the first audiobook that I've listened to with her as a narrator and after this audiobook, I've added her to the list of narrators that I don't question before getting the audiobook.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Kasey
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fun, honest, and heartwarming
    Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2020
    Just when I needed a spunky heroine in my life, I found Willa in NOT IF I CAN HELP IT. She has fierce opinions and specific ideas about how she wants things to go. Some of these things are related to her Sensory Processing Disorder, like her needs for clothes to fit a certain way and feel a certain way, but others are simply her own personal preference, like where she wants to go to school next year, and who her dad happens to be dating.

    After her dad and her best friend Ruby’s mom announce that they’re dating, Willa realizes she and Ruby aren’t on the same page about it. This begins a big challenge to their relationship and a challenge to Willa’s way of looking at things. She begins to learn that situations and relationships don’t a;ways look the same from other people’s points of view.

    For me, that process is precisely what makes this book amazing. Willa navigates that tug-of-war between her own preferences and needs and those of the other important people in her life, mainly her dad and her best friend. She remains a fierce person, fiercely committed to her way of thinking, but also fiercely committed to the people she loves, which makes her all the more lovable and amazing.

    NOT IF I CAN HELP IT makes a great read for kids navigating transitions to blended families in their own lives or helping them develop empathy and understanding for the transition in the lives of people close to them. It’s also a great pick for encouraging understanding and empathy toward children with sensory issues. I highly recommend it.

    Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Mensa for Kids
    5.0 out of 5 stars unexpected learning experience for me and is an important read for everyone.
    Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2019
    Meet Willa. She’s an awkward eleven-year-old fifth grader with Sensory Processing Disorder, a condition that makes her very sensitive to things like tags on clothing, or socks with crinkles–which make her want to scream. Meet her BFF Ruby, a slightly less awkward 10-year-old fifth grader. They both have an extreme love for gummy bears on ice cream (or sorbet) and their parents are both divorced. Now here comes the crazy part. Willa’s dad and Ruby’s mom are in love. So that means the two girls are practically sisters because of how much time they get together! Yay, right? Not really. Here’s the problem. Nobody but her family and her therapist know that Willa has Sensory Processing Disorder, not even Ruby. When she’s faced with a difficult decision, will she tell the truth? Will they still be friends?

    A short and sweet story about family and friendships, Not If I Can Help It is a wonderful book about the secrets, we keep protecting each other, not realizing that they may harm more than help. With characters that you can empathize with, and a beautifully crafted plot, this book echoes social experiences that many of us have faced. This book can help you understand and relate to peers, friends, and family. It is about the anxieties that people of all ages are confronted with, like people not being honest with each other.

    This book, like Wonder, addresses issues most children don’t deal with. By the end of the book, I felt like I knew what Willa felt and experienced. This book was an unexpected learning experience for me and is an important read for everyone.
    Review by Sabina E., age 10, Greater Los Angeles Mensa
    4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • nina
    5.0 out of 5 stars My son completely connected with the main character!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I have just finished reading this with my 10 year son - although he could easily have read it himself, he was a little unsure of reading a book where the main character is a girl and he also knew it was about sensory processing disorder so we decided to read it together. He completely associates with the main character, sharing many of the same challenges and the descriptions of the sensory processing difficulties helped open up lots of conversations. He also shares many likes (dogs, Lego, red pandas) with Willa and would like to meet her and others like her.
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  • MAJA SKARA
    5.0 out of 5 stars My 10 year old daughter loved it
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 24, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    My daughter found this book very relatable because of the age of the main charachter and the issues that arise. She sais she couldn't put it down and wished there was a sequel
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