Cammie McGovern's (The Art of Seeing) first young adult novel overturns stereotypes and shines a spotlight on characters who soar above their crippling limitations.
The summer before senior year Amy e-mails Matthew: "Tell me the truth. That's all." Amy has cerebral palsy and she's convinced her mother to swap out her adult aides for peer helpers so she can learn how to relate to people her own age as she prepares for college. Amy requests that Matthew apply because he doesn't shy away from the reality of her disabilities. But the honesty she draws out of him makes him nervous, especially when it comes to her endearing persistence about why he doesn't like sleepovers. Since the ninth grade, Matthew has suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder, and the voice in his head commands him never to reveal the truth about his routines. But Amy challenges him with exercises to help him overcome his mounting panic attacks and begin the healing process. Still, for all of their honesty, it's the withheld truths that threaten to pull them apart.
McGovern's nuanced writing brings these well-rounded and unforgettable characters to life. She does not define them by their handicaps or limitations, but rather she illuminates the ways in which they help each other and grow through that process. Fans of Rainbow Rowell's Eleanor and Park and Stoner & Spaz by Ron Koertge may well lose themselves in this diverse and rewarding romance. Say What You Will is touching, honest and compulsively readable. --Adam Silvera, children's bookseller