What to Say Next

This is one of those books where the cover doesn't match the story. You think you are getting a light and fluffy romance and BAM!... bring on the grief, the bullying, and the betrayals. Such a heartwarming story about a girl learning to live with her father's death and her budding friendship/attraction to a boy with Asperger's. David is an absolute gem! Ditch your idea of normal. Recommended By Mecca A., Powells.com

“What to Say Next reminds readers that hope can be found in unexpected places.” — Bustle.com

From the New York Times bestselling author of Tell Me Three Things comes a story about two struggling teenagers who find an unexpected connection just when they need it most. Nicola Yoon, the bestselling author of Everything, Everything, calls it “charming, funny, and deeply affecting.”

Sometimes a new perspective is all that is needed to make sense of the world.

KIT: I don’t know why I decide not to sit with Annie and Violet at lunch. It feels like no one here gets what I’m going through. How could they? I don’t even understand.

DAVID: In the 622 days I’ve attended Mapleview High, Kit Lowell is the first person to sit at my lunch table. I mean, I’ve never once sat with someone until now. “So your dad is dead,” I say to Kit, because this is a fact I’ve recently learned about her.

When an unlikely friendship is sparked between relatively popular Kit Lowell and socially isolated David Drucker, everyone is surprised, most of all Kit and David. Kit appreciates David’s blunt honesty — in fact, she finds it bizarrely refreshing. David welcomes Kit’s attention and her inquisitive nature. When she asks for his help figuring out the how and why of her dad’s tragic car accident, David is all in. But neither of them can predict what they’ll find. Can their friendship survive the truth?

Named a Best Young Adult Novel of the Year by POPSUGAR

“Buxbaum uses split first-person narration to give readers striking insight into both teens....Readers will easily see David as a complex, brilliant individual. Discussion of Kit’s family and heritage bring additional complexity and depth to his portrait of grief and recovery.” Publishers Weekly

“. . . a story of friendship and finding one’s tribe. Teens who enjoy sweet, character-driven relationship stories will find their tribe with Kit and David.” VOYA

“Heartfelt, charming, deep, and real. I love it with all my heart.” Jennifer Niven, New York Times bestselling author of All the Bright Places

“Among many other YA characters who find love despite their differences, Kit and David stand out.” The Horn Book

Julie Buxbaum is the author of the What to Say Next, as well as the New York Times bestseller Tell Me Three Things, her debut young adult novel. She also wrote the critically acclaimed The Opposite of Love and After You. Her work has been translated into 25 languages. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their two young children.