A great middle school book about family, friendship and finding your own way. This book was a quick read and the author did an excellent job portraying the normal feelings of a middle school girl.

WHERE YOU'VE GOT TO BE is a pitch-perfect exploration of all those pressures that come to bear on kids as they make that rocky transition from childhood to whatever that next phase is-- teendom, adulthood, whatever you call it, the shore is rocky and full of pitfalls. Nolie can see where she's headed, what's expected of her, and what she's supposed to be becoming and should have already left behind. But nothing is that simple.

Gertler's exploration of a girl in transition, someone who doesn't have a "thing" they're solely passionate about, is tender, honest, and full of love. It's both reassuring and hopeful, yet also presents a frank understanding that life isn't binary- you can achieve your dreams and be unhappy, you can mourn the loss of a friendship and find new/happier and healthier friendships.

This is a wonderful, complex story that is a wonderful companion for any 10-13 yo trying to navigate the rocky shores of growing up.

Thank you to Netgalley & Greenwillow for the E-arc

While this title absolutely qualifies as a more “quiet’ book, it was interesting to get a glimpse into the day to day lives of NYC dwellers. Also, the subplot about the sister’s ballet life was also interesting . The focus on anti- Semitism is important for students to see and recognize in a way to prevent this from occurring in their schools.

I enjoyed this book! It had a lot of elements that kept us going, and the beginning really drew me into it. I loved the characters and found it relatable on many levels. I think it did a great job dealing with that time of life where everyone is changing/different around you and you need to find your own path and/or change too. I also love that it handled 'taking responsibility'.

A tender and heartfelt story about figuring out who you are at a time when everything around you is changing, and everybody else seems to have it all sorted out already. Nolie’s older sister, Linden, is on her way to being a ballet star. Nolie hasn’t found her ‘passion’ yet, and she’d be fine with that except that Linden’s dream soaks up all of the family’s attention. Meanwhile, Nolie’s best friend, Jessa, has a plan to make them both cooler. She wants Nolie to change, even going so far as to give her a to-do list for self-improvement (bullet-pointed items on a folded piece of personalized lavender stationary, no less). It’s heartbreaking, and so very real, the depiction of the tween pressure to figure everything out. The way Nolie deals with it (no spoilers) is just a perfect metaphor, and the way the arc of her story is artfully woven into the observation of Jewish High Holy Days is absolutely beautiful. A truly lovely exploration of the painful and important process of determining where you’ve got to be.

Everyone seems to be leaving eleven-year-old Nolie behind. Her talented older sister is struggling with her own ballet ambitions and her best friend is pressing Nolie to act older and cooler this year at school. But what does Nolie want? Should she be changing along with everyone else? Is there something wrong with her? Well-written, funny, and affecting. The characterization of Nolie ("our dreamer," her father affectionately calls her) is especially engaging.

This is a lovely, pitch perfect tween read that perfectly captures what it means to navigate middle school when everyone around you seems to be changing and you are no longer sure who you are or where you belong. The main character, Nolie, feels as though she's overshadowed by her older sister, who is destined to be a ballet star. Nolie was able to handle it when she had the friendship of her BFF, Jessa, to rely on. But suddenly Jessa is acting differently and she's demanding that Nolie change, too. Nolie isn't sure that she wants to be called Magnolia or roll up her school uniform to show more thigh or any of the other things Jessa wants her to do. Feeling torn, Nolie starts taking things that don't belong to her. Soon, she's faced with a choice--own up to her decisions or risk being ratted out. This story will resonate with middle grade readers struggling to find their place, and I love that the author wove in a realistic portrayal of how Nolie's Jewish religion further complicates her journey to figure out who she is and where she belongs. Having lived in NYC, I also love the taste it gives readers of life in the big city as well as the gentle love Nolie receives from her grandmother. An all around fantastic read!

Nolie starts the school year with her best friend, Jessa, giving her a self-improvement list and being friends with someone new who doesn’t seem very nice to Nolie. Nolie’s sister is into ballet, and it seems like she always gets what she wants. Nolie wonders if she needs a passion to follow. As Nolie and Jessa grow apart, Nolie realizes people can outgrow friendships and that a real friend wouldn’t try to change you. After Nolie takes some things that aren’t hers, she knows she did wrong. Nolie hopes she can figure out who she really is.

A well written book reminiscent of Judy Blume's Ramona Quimby books, Where You've Got To Be by Caroline Gertler is a heart warming story of Nolie and the trials and tribulations of starting middle school and growing up. I love the gentle teaching of life lessons mentioned in this book. The pacing was perfect, and it's a book that even adults can relate to. A perfect book for 8-12 year olds. I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! Nolie's such a great character and I really enjoyed watching how her relationships changed as she grew. This is such a great book!

What a wonderful book! The pacing and construction are pitch-perfect, and I could not put it down.

In a world in which kids are pushed to find their passion, Nollie's journey through middle school at her own exploratory speed is achingly relatable. The story is immersive in its realism and feels notably original, as Nollie gives into a series of temptations that put her in a position she does not want to be in, leaving readers anxious for renewal and redemption at just the right time of year--the Jewish high holidays. Perfect for fans of Rebecca Stead, I absolutely adored this story.