Nothing to See Here - by Barbara Dee (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

After an online incident forces a student to leave their school, four students team up and start posting fake rumors as an experiment to show everyone the dangers of online gossip in this high stakes and heartfelt story from highly acclaimed author Barbara Dee.

How far is too far?

Between her best friend ditching her and her parents taking away her phone, Winnie's year is off to a rough start. But eighth grade gets even more complicated when she's named on the Not Hot list by an anonymous online account.

Gia's on the Hot list, but she'd rather not be. There's already enough chatter about her online--how she thinks she's smarter and better than everyone else, and lately, that she's secretly dating Mateo.

Mateo isn't dating Gia, but he's had a crush on her for over a year now. But kids online are saying they have nothing in common, and he doesn't want to make her uncomfortable.

Mateo's best friend Levi doesn't mind that he's not the one in the spotlight. He's got enough going on at home.

And when an anonymous post takes things too far, these four very different kids team up to start their own experiment, posting fake gossip on social media to show what can happen when online rumors get out of control, in this high stakes and heartfelt story from highly acclaimed author Barbara Dee.

Review Quotes

Advance Praise for Nothing to See Here:

A Junior Library Guild Pick

"Thoughtfully explores the real-world effects that online behavior can have, while also subtly touching on other serious topics...A timely and engaging novel that explores the impacts of social media, bullying, and gossip." -- Kirkus Reviews

"In this topical tale from Dee...Snappy alternating chapters that shift between the four protagonists feature layered social dynamics and distinctive characterizations. The result is an acute examination of social media's influence." -- Publishers Weekly

"The pages will fly by for readers--they flew by for me! Nothing to See Here is absorbing and engaging, and in true Barbara Dee fashion the story is so timely and relevant. What an engaging, lively story!" --Sally Pla, Schneider award-winning author of The Fire, the Water, and Maudie McGinn

"Fast-paced, poignant and utterly relatable, Nothing to See Here powerfully shines with characters who navigate the complexity of their circumstances and find a way to do what's right." Chris Baron--award-winning author of Spark and All of Me

"Both timely and essential, Nothing to See Here is a can't-look-away page-turner about empowered kids taking difficult action that proves - once again - just how well Barbara Dee understands middle school and all its complexities. This unique and deeply relatable story highlights the power and danger of social media and rumors that spiral out of control in a kid-accessible way." -- Erin Soderberg Downing, bestselling author of What Happened Than and Just Keep Walking

"Nothing to See Here is a stirring story leaving middle grade readers with an important question: in a world where bullies are anonymous, how do you fight back without losing sight of who you are? An utterly engaging friendship story--I couldn't put this one down." -- Claire Swinarski, bestselling author of What Happened to Rachel Riley?

Barbara Dee has once again written a middle grade book that feels urgent, honest, and deeply relatable. Nothing to See Here will make readers think, feel, and look at online behavior in a whole new way, long after they turn the final page. -- Amanda Jones, school librarian, activist, and author of That Librarian

About the Author

Barbara Dee is the award-winning author of sixteen middle grade novels. Her books have earned several starred reviews and have been named to many best-of lists, including The Washington Post's Best Children's Books, ALA Notable Children's Books, ALA Rise: A Feminist Book Project List, School Library Journal's Best Middle Grade Books, and the ALA Rainbow List Top Ten. Her books appear on numerous state awards lists as well.