Jude Saves the World

Jude is a lot of things, they're 12 years old, non-binary, the bestest friend ever, courageous, and an unstoppable force that works only for the greater good. Not only do they help a classmate who needs a friend, but Jude and their best friend Dallas create the first-ever diversity club in their community! All while dealing with out-of-touch grandparents and being a support system for Dallas while his family goes through a rough patch. But not everything is all rainbows, Dallas and Jude's new friend has some baggage she has to work through, it's not so easy making a first-of-its-kinda-club yourself, and sometimes even best friends go through rough patches. Jude is one strong kid, are they strong enough to make it through what is being thrown their way? Jude may be young, but this kid has more courage than most adults. Jude's story is so sweet and wholesome, I don't say this about many books, but this is truly a comfort read. There are some ups and downs, but Jude handles everything like a champ, and having the prose in first person - meaning the story is told in Jude's own words - you can really feel their love, anxiety, courage, worries, and happy moments. But that's all Jude, let's get to the meat of everything. With the story being told in first person, at times it was a little bouncy, not only going from one chapter to another, but within the chapters. However, after it was revealed that Jude has ADHD, the bounciness was a bit more understandable and even added to relating to their mindset. Along with the slightly jarring narrative, there was also a lack of description in places where I wish I could have been more. However, there was still plenty that I could fully visualize where everything and everyone was. So nothing was missed, just my personal preference. In the beginning, the author gave a note explaining that Jude is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, and like many non-binary and queer folks they also are deadnamed and misgendered in their world, but due to the story being told through Jude's perspective, Jude rightfully currents their pronouns and name in their mind. The readers will never know Jude's birthname or assigned gender, the author, Ronnie Riley, wanted to give respect to Jude that many other queer folks don't get, and I love this book even more for that. The last thing I'll say is that I also loved the queer glossary in the back, explaining some words and what they mean for those who may not understand the terminology used in the LGBTQ+ community. If you want a sweet, easy, slice-of-life comfort read that will make you giddy just thinking about picking it up, please read Jude Saves the World. You won't regret it!