This was a wonderful read! Very current. It was fast paced and funny. I will definitely recommend this book to middle school parents.
Thanks NetGalley for the arc

I just finished FREE PERIOD by Ali Terese and it is SUCH a cleverly written story promoting period equity. Funny, dynamic chaos monsters (Helen and Gracie) go from pranks to plans in this wonderful MG story that should be in every classroom!

In this story, Helen and Gracie are best friends who get into trouble one too many times for their hysterical pranks that they play around school. They are told that they have to find something to care about and achieve success in by the end of the year. Miracle of miracles, they DO end up caring, and it winds up causing all kinds of stress and trouble in their chaotic lives!

A book featuring a campaign to provide menstrual products in the boys’ bathroom with characters explaining that it’s not only girls who need pads since other people also menstruate would not be permissible in my school library given today’s political climate. I say this as no reflection of my personal attitude toward this topic but only so those in more conservative regions fighting constant book challenges with their careers on the line can be aware. This book would be a welcome and really fun addition in many schools that value the freedom to read.

“And I mean, really, is there anything better than rage crafting?”

This amazing book written by the fantastic Ali Terese has so much laughter and heart surrounding an important social topic. When Gracie and Helen (middle school pranksters) are tasked with a punishment of “caring”. They use their hijinks for good to create social awareness around period equity in their school. Let me tell you, when I read this book, I did not stop cackling with laughter at the banter of these girls! They are the perfect middle school besties and I kinda wish I knew them in middle school. There is something in this book for everyone to enjoy and kids will love every minute of it! Run to go get it, you will not regret it! Thank you so much to the publisher and author for the advanced copy!

This was such a fun book! Think Babysitter's Club with periods. Books like this are so necessary for the MG audience and I would have inhaled this when I was that age. A wonderful debut by Ali Terese!

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for an early e-ARC.

Perfect contemporary upper MG read for the readers stuck in that age between MG and YA. Yes, period equity is the important issue explored in this book, but there's so much more than that. Here are a few things I loved that make this a 5-star read:

Friendship: Gracie and Helen are the perfect best friend duo.
They're quirky each in their own way and are on point with their witty responses to everything. They complement one another perfectly. The dialogue is laugh-out-loud and so well written that I can picture this being a TV show everyone will want to binge just to be entertained by the banter between the two friends. Their bond is unwavering and they always consider one another's feelings and needs. Bonus: they love cheese.

Side characters: unique and with character development that supports the overall plot
Everyone has their own goals and quirks, but they are all so supportive of each other. Other than the jock who tries to show off to his buddies (which is realistic), the kids don't backstab or make fun of each other. They accept one another and build upon each other's strengths.

Inclusivity: in so many ways
Love that Gracie has two moms, and it's just accepted as the norm by all.
A million points for including all kids, not just girls, in the period equity battle!

My review is based on an eARC from NetGalley.

This book tackles a timely and important topic--period equity--with fun and humor. Helen and Gracie are pranksters who never take anything very seriously, until they get an opportunity to make a real difference in their school. After they get in huge trouble for a prank gone wrong, they have to join a club and support a cause. That's when they realize that they actually can make a real difference, and they put their energy into fighting to get maxi pads in restrooms throughout their school to provide access to all of the students who need them. This story takes a topic that can be uncomfortable to talk about and makes it appealing and enjoyable, as it is filled with jokes, friendship complications, witty banter, and characters young readers will surely be able to relate to and care about. And it also has a positive and empowering message about young people working together to create needed change.

This is the book that we have all needed at some point in our lives. Not only does it give multiple female perspectives on menstruation but also hits on how it impacts males and the importance of talking about the issues instead of ignoring them. This is a book that should be in every library!

Loved this book!

So inspiring, and I know it will inspire all kids, but specifically girls, to get involved in their community and make a difference for the right reasons. It also shows kids the power that they possess as a catalyst of change. It gives kids a better understanding of the way decisions are made and the layers of authority and skills required to effect change.

I loved Gracie and Helen’s energy. Their story of friendship was powerful and genuine. They each had such a unique and playful voice. I loved them.

Such an important message and done in such a fun way. Ali Terese is a master at dialogue, all her conversations are so witty and clever and heartfelt, I’m in awe.

Highly recommend!

Besties Helen and Gracie are ALWAYS making trouble. They like pranking people, and usually their punishments are minimal or something that they don't really care about because they always have each other. But when there BIG end-of-8th-grade prank goes wrong, they get sentenced to CARE. They have to join the School Community Action Club and find a cause to care about. The club motivates them to work for period equity and getting maxi pads in all of the restrooms at their school so that every student will have access to them. Overall- a fun story about friendship, growing up, fighting for whats right, and using your talents and strengths for a good cause.

A hilarious book with some truly lovable, zany characters who will do almost anything, including bake, craft, and set off stink "blubs" (because the word "bomb" is too harsh), to get their point across. Gracie and Helen are on an epic quest to get the basic hygienic needs of everyone in their school who menstruates met. But their shenanigans and mayhem cause nothing but trouble with their peers, their principal, their parents, and the school board. Full of fun chaos and hilarious hijinks, this book will inspire readers to stand up for what's right, normalize menstruation, and bring awareness to period equity. A middle school must-read!

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

This was a great and important middle grade read about two eighth grade pranksters who make period equity their mission. Realistic dialogue and funny banter between characters. It was a little long for me but overall enjoyable!

This book was great! I love how the characters were standing up for a cause that was important to them, I loved the activism! I also loved the message of destigmatizing periods, I think that's really important. It was also written really well!

This is a great combo of Are You There God, It's Me, Margaret updated for the 2020s, mixed with Moxie written for a slightly younger crowd.

Two middle school pranksters are caught red-handed by the principal who gives them a restorative justice consequence of joining a school club. Bad news, it's with their nemesis; good news, they actually find an interest they can relate to: ending period poverty in their school.

From making new friends to hijinks at the school board when they are supposed to be serious, this book is warm and relatable to kids who are figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how they can make a difference.

Recommending for middle school library acquisition

Helen and Grace are more than best friends, they're practically sisters. They are also the reigning queens of pranks, much to their principal's chagrin. When their latest prank lands them in the office once again, the principal gives them an unusual punishment that drives them into a project fighting for period equity.

Terese's middle grade debut is full of sparkling humor that will make even those most cynical pre-teen belly laugh. The book is full of fart jokes an witty pre-teen snipes. But even though humor is laced throughout the pages, the heart of the book lies in the changing dynamics of Helen and Grace's friendship. Terese perfectly captures the beauty and complexity of relationships, which is evidenced in the different relationships she portrays throughout the novel.

Five out of five stars for this important middle grade read. This should be in school libraries everywhere.

I enjoyed this read. It is an important one for the young people in your life that menstruate. It brings attention to the issue of period equity and how a group of students worked to combat this issue in their own school. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Helen has a plan to get even after Madison makes fun of Helen’s best friend, Gracie. When the plan goes awry, the principal tells the two girls to do something that matters to the school. When they join the Community Action Club, they see Madison is in charge. They all decide to focus on putting pads in all the girls’ bathrooms saying “everyone deserves period equity.” Because it will cost money, they have to get it approved by the school board. When they go to the board meeting, what happens? Will the school board cover the cost?

In Free Period, two quirky girls are determined to obtain period equity for everyone who menstruates at their middle school, regardless of the personal cost. It’s a heartwarming story of friendship, sacrifice, self love, and standing up for what you believe in!!