Families who loved Nina's Not Boy Crazy! (She Just Likes Boys) by Wendy L. Brandes often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
Reach for this book when your daughter feels like the odd one out because she is not ready for the boy-crazy phase that has suddenly consumed her friend group. It is an ideal resource for the middle elementary years when social dynamics shift and 'dating' becomes a confusing new currency of cool. The story follows Nina, a girl who loves sports and hanging out with boys as friends but feels pressured by her peers to view them as romantic interests. It beautifully explores the tension between staying true to one's own developmental pace and the fear of being left behind by friends. Parents will appreciate how it validates that it is perfectly okay to just be a kid, while modeling how to set boundaries with friends who are maturing faster.
