A sweet story about a kid dealing with the complexities of being a child actor. I love all the characters. I love how this book talks about him learning more about his culture, how it addresses his sexuality, him learning to make new friends. I wish I had had books like these when I was in middle school.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me free access to the digital advanced copy of this book.

Such a fun middle grade read. Loved the characters and their growth in this book. Highly recommend for upper elementary and middle grade readers.

Maulik Pancholy has done it for a second time with this wonderfully heartfelt and nuanced middle grade novel about a queer Indian boy. I really enjoyed the plot but Nikhil's internal arc was also fantastically well done.

Loved, loved, loved this book!
Nikhil was such a great main character and I loved reading about his journey, especially his journey as he got to know and understand himself.
I love Pancholy's writing style. I looked forward to picking it back up and was invested in Nikhil's story, so much so that I wanted to continue reading Nikhil's story after the book ended.

13yo Nikhil is the voice of Raj in a popular cartoon series. When his grandfather is ill, his mother decides that they need to move to Ohio for a while to stay with them. Nikhil’s mom and grandfather don’t get along. Nana is always telling her what to do, and how disappointed he is. Moving to Ohio makes Nikhil start 8th grade at a new school, and by the end of the first day, kids have already figured out who he is. He’s made a small friend group, and they are all auditioning for the musical, so he tries out too. But his fame and ability to work an audience and outshine his new friend DeSean and Raj is cast in the leading role. When he’s interviewed by the school paper, Nikhil talks about himself and lets the reporter know he’s gay. While everyone at school seems supportive, there is a parent who is not, and doesn’t want Nikhil to be the lead in the musical.

Solidly set in middle school, Nikhil Out Loud was a great book. There were no bullies, which was refreshing, and the principal, when confronted by the angry parent, did all the right things. I loved Nikhil's supportive mom and the drama teacher who was perfectly over the top. It was fun that Pancholy, who voices a cartoon character, created a story around a boy who does the same. Nikhil is Indian, DeSean is Black, Monica is Korean and Mateo is Mexican.

Loved this read! Nikhil’s character felt real to me, as did his experiences. It definitely deserves a place with my diverse reads in my classroom for it’s focus on feelings of being queer in a place that may not always be as accepting, his relationships with his family, and his friends.

A heartwarming story with an authentic voice. Maulik Pancholy is proving to have real staying power in middle grade novels!

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The plot of this was intriguing; that a child star needs to move to a new town and start at a new school. I liked that he and others were empowered to speak up against the bigotry displayed by some in his town.

This book full of charming, sweet, and highly likable characters is also a powerful story about overcoming homophobia and standing up against hatred in any community. When Nikhil and his mom move from Los Angeles to a small town in Ohio to help take care of his grandfather, he is faced with new challenges like making new friends, navigating family dynamics, and dealing with a small group of homophobic people who do not like that he is openly gay. I appreciated that the author made Nikhil a well-rounded and dynamic character whose standout characteristics include being a kind friend, a good son, and a highly talented and dedicated voice actor for a beloved cartoon character – not just being gay. Nikhil and his friends along with key adults show that change can happen when you stand up to hatred and bullies.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Maulik Pancholy, and Balzer + Bray for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

I've been in a middle grade reading slump recently, and Nikhil Out Loud was the perfect book to get me out of it! Every single time I read a MG book with an LGBTQ+ protagonist, I get more and more excited for the young readers out here today. I loved this book so much and would have ADORED it as a middle schooler who was obsessed with theater/acting. Nikhil is extremely funny and charming throughout, as are all of his friends. The side characters (including the adults!) really added to what I loved about this book because not only are more diverse perspectives highlighted, they all have individual personalities that add to the story, which I feel is rare in MG books! Nikhil's anxiety over the many changes in his life is extremely relatable to readers of all ages, and Pancholy does a phenomenal job handling difficult subject matter with care. I loved that everyone was so supportive of Nikhil and his identity; the book does a great job of normalizing knowing who you are at a young age, and the inclusion of young people using their voices to stand up for what is right is so important. I hope to see more of Nikhil and from Maulik Pancholy in the future, and I will be ordering this book for my library as soon as possible!

This book was lovely and secured Maulik Pancholy as an auto-read author for me. I adored Nikhil as he grappled with the changes in his life - his mom decides to move herself and Nikhil out to Ohio to be with his grandparents because his grandfather is sick. At first, Nikhil and his grandfather don't see eye-to-eye. At the same time, he is new at school, and because he is famous, he gets a part in the school play he doesn't exactly want and also interviewed by the school paper. When he reveals he's gay, a "concerned mother" decided to stage a protest against him being in the school play. Additionally, Nikhil is starting to deal with growing up. He voices a kid on a cartoon, but his voice is starting to change. All of these things at once take a toll on him, and he must figure out how to deal with all of the changes in his life. I highly recommend this book!

Nikhil, of Nikhil Out Loud, is a child voice actor who is moved from L.A. to a smaller town in Ohio to spend time with his ailing grandfather. Many challenges await him in Ohio: his mother and grandfather's strained relationship, beginning 8th grade in a new school, and the homophobic woman who wants Nikhil removed from the school play when an interview in the school paper reveals that Nikhil is gay. On top of all of that, Nikhil's voice is starting to change which he knows will mean the end of voicing his tv character Raj Reddy. There are true conflicts and deeply hurt feelings in this narrative and readers will relate to the confusion of growing and changing that all teenagers experience. What's most beautiful in this story is the support Nikhil has from his family and from his new friends and teachers in Ohio. Yes, he has to deal with the homophobic woman, but his new community rallies around him. It is a vision of the supportive environment all students deserve and may offer hope to readers who find themselves in less supportive circumstances. The secondary characters are well-developed and realistically flawed. Especially when so many forces are working to divide our communities, this story of finding your voice is just what young readers need.

This was a very poignant and uplifting coming of age story. Nikhil was so relatable and I loved all of the positive messaging in this book about embracing who you are as well as following your dreams. Although there were a lot of heavy topics covered in this, they were done very well and made this book very enjoyable to read. I loved Nikhil and the relationships he had with his friends and family. I am excited to recommend this to all kinds of middle school readers. This will definitely have an appeal to theater kids, kids who like cartoons, and those who like to stand out.

Amazing middle grade read about what really matters: finding your true voice and standing up for what's right even when you feel like you're alone. LGBTQIA+ representation, highly recommend this title.

Nikhil Shah is 13 but he's also a voice actor for a pretty successful animated series. He has to move from LA to a small town in Ohio because of family circumstances and his whole world changes.
New friends, family he barely knows, new school, new extracurricular activities... How will he adapt to this brand new life?

I really loved this. I was such a fast read, with short chapters and yet, I felt everything. It made me laugh, cry and rage; and I loved every second of it.
The characters were layered and so interesting. I enjoyed the main character, just as much as I enjoyed the side ones. The plot was well-paced and I enjoyed it a lot. The whole family dynamics were so interesting and so were the friendships.
Basically, this author was a great discovery for me and I can't wait to read his debut.

Nikhil Out Loud is engaging and meaningful. I started it in the morning before school one day and was so disappointed that I had to put it down to go to work! I was immediately immersed into the writing and characters. When I had the chance to get back to it, I didn’t put it down. The intricacies of the plot points melded together beautifully. The cartoon voice acting and Cartoon Con will be high interest for a lot of readers! The family and friendship dynamics, as well as the supportive school environment speak volumes in regards to making sure readers feel welcomed in the world despite those who try to shut down their wholeness. The book also highlights the beauty of sharing powerful art with the world. I will recommend this title often.

What a brilliant portrayal of diversity and inclusion for the middle school classroom! Representative of not only members of the LGBTQ+ community, but also persons from a variety of ethnic, cultural, and racial backgrounds.

The story opens with LA cartoon tv star Nikhil Shah moving to a small town in Ohio with his mom to help care for an ailing grandparent. Not only is Nikhil dealing with living in a new town and working on his cartoon tv series remotely, he's got puberty changing his vocal chords, trouble with his new friends, and homophobes making a stink about him (a gay kid) being the lead in the school musical.

While we too often see stories on social media of schools stripping queer students of their rights, Maulik Pancholy's story is one of support and love and standing up for persons of all identities and backgrounds. I can't wait to put this on my classroom bookshelf & share it with all the teachers/students I know!

I knew Maulik Pancholy was an actor and I remembered that he served on an advisory committee in the Obama administration, but I had no idea that he was a children’s book author as well. Netgalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books gave me the opportunity to read and review an advanced reader copy of Nikhil Out Loud, and I am so grateful that they did. This book will be released on October 11 and I can’t wait for middle grade readers to engage with the characters in this delightful book.

Nikhil is a 12-year-old, Indian American actor living in Los Angeles and he is the star of a very popular cartoon on TV. He loves acting, and while the attention he receives might be more intense than he would like, his life is pretty wonderful. But then his Nana (grandfather) who lives in Ohio becomes ill and Nikhil and his mom move to help take care of him. Nikhil will spend his eighth grade year away from his friends and his community.

Starting over in a new school is never easy, but Nikhil is lucky enough to make some fantastic friends almost as soon as he arrives. It probably doesn’t hurt that he is instantly recognizable. He even lands the lead role in the school musical, though singing is not his greatest talent. When he is interviewed for the student newspaper and asked about his dating life, Nikhil barely hesitates before saying that, if he was dating, he would be dating a boy. Nikhil’s mom is proud of him for being so brave and the students in his school are remarkably nonchalant about this revelation. However, with striking similarity to many of the situations that are happening around the country today, there is one adult in the town who simply refuses to accept that a child who is gay should be put in any positive spotlight. She insists that Nikhil be removed from the musical.

While Nikhil Out Loud does include this instance of homophobia, this is not at all a central theme. Instead, it highlights how schools, students, and families can see being gay as just one more part of an individual, nothing more or less consequential than that. Nikhil is going through all sorts of changes that will be relatable to many teens, including his voice changing (although this is a bit more of an issue for a voice actor than it might be for many readers). Nikhil is a character who will win the hearts of readers both young and old.