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Hazel Hill Is Gonna Win This One
A funny, feminist, and queer contemporary middle grade debut that follows twelve-year-old loner Hazel Hill, who, after one of her classmates is harassed online, devises a plan to catch the school’s golden boy in the act.
Seventh-grader Hazel Hill is too busy for friends. No, really. She needs to focus on beating her nemesis, the gorgeous and smart Ella Quinn, in order to win the school-wide speech competition after last year’s embarrassing hyperbole/hyperbowl mishap that cost her first place. But when Hazel discovers Ella is being harassed by popular golden boy, Tyler Harris, she has to choose between winning and doing the right thing. No one would believe that a nice boy like Tyler would harass and intimidate a nice girl like Ella, but Hazel knows the truth—and she’s determined to prove it.
In this deeply relatable, surprisingly humorous, and wonderfully empowering middle grade about friendship, finding your voice, and standing up for what you believe in, sometimes you have to lose in order to win.
Seventh-grader Hazel Hill is too busy for friends. No, really. She needs to focus on beating her nemesis, the gorgeous and smart Ella Quinn, in order to win the school-wide speech competition after last year’s embarrassing hyperbole/hyperbowl mishap that cost her first place. But when Hazel discovers Ella is being harassed by popular golden boy, Tyler Harris, she has to choose between winning and doing the right thing. No one would believe that a nice boy like Tyler would harass and intimidate a nice girl like Ella, but Hazel knows the truth—and she’s determined to prove it.
In this deeply relatable, surprisingly humorous, and wonderfully empowering middle grade about friendship, finding your voice, and standing up for what you believe in, sometimes you have to lose in order to win.
223 pages, Hardcover
First published October 18, 2022
4 people are currently reading
3027 people want to read
About the author
Maggie Horne
4 books93 followersMaggie Horne grew up near Toronto, Canada. She now lives in the UK with her wife, where they keep a selection of dogs and children.
Maggie is the author of HAZEL HILL IS GONNA WIN THIS ONE (an Indies Introduce Summer/Fall 2022 Selection, Indie Next pick, and Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection) and NOAH FRYE GETS CRUSHED from HarperKids, as well as DON'T LET IT BREAK YOUR HEART and FREDDIE AND STELLA GOT HOT from Feiwel & Friends. She’s always trying to write the queer stories she wishes she could have read growing up.
Maggie is the author of HAZEL HILL IS GONNA WIN THIS ONE (an Indies Introduce Summer/Fall 2022 Selection, Indie Next pick, and Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection) and NOAH FRYE GETS CRUSHED from HarperKids, as well as DON'T LET IT BREAK YOUR HEART and FREDDIE AND STELLA GOT HOT from Feiwel & Friends. She’s always trying to write the queer stories she wishes she could have read growing up.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews
October 5, 2022
Thanks so much to Firefly Press for my ARC!
I’ve been so excited for this book for so long that when I finally had it in my hands I was hit with this Really Big Fear that I somehow wouldn’t love it as much as I loved it in my head. And then I read it and I loved it even more than I thought I might, and I realised these Big Fears and Constant Overthinking were part of the reason why. Because here is Hazel, who analyses and agonises over everything, who is a lesbian and knows this for certain at 12, who watches friendships from a distance and doesn’t know what that would look like for her, who isn’t sure how to show affection without it being misinterpreted, who tries so hard not to give anyone anything to misinterpret. Who accepts being treated like ‘one of the boys’ because she’s actually being treated like ‘one of the’ somethings. One of the anythings at all. Someone who feels othered enough to think she isn’t like other girls, and knows the ways in which she isn’t, but comes to realise just how much she is. I saw so much of myself in her that I had to put the book down a couple times, and I just wish I could tell younger me that this exists and we can read it and everyone else can soon too.
I spent a lot of this book angry. Angry for the kids that had to endure things and at adults who didn’t believe them and at the ones doing the hurting and the ones who enabled it. And I’m sad because I know how many people will relate to this. I know it made me confront some memories that weren’t the happiest. But this was truly so brilliant. And I’m so proud and so hopeful reading about people being this brave, even when I wish they didn’t have to be. I loved the humour and the friendships and the special teachers in amongst the bad. I felt the relief of being reassured that something isn’t your fault. And I loved the vengeance too, because I know I personally would have used even more cheesecakes (if you know, you know).
It all warmed my heart and filled it and I couldn’t have read it faster. It’s a middle grade read but my twenty-something self loved it (if you didn’t get that from the above) and so did my mom (when I recounted the entire plot over dinner without warning). I would recommend it to anyone. It’s out soon and I’d love to hear what you think if you check it out!
I’m so grateful it exists.
I’ve been so excited for this book for so long that when I finally had it in my hands I was hit with this Really Big Fear that I somehow wouldn’t love it as much as I loved it in my head. And then I read it and I loved it even more than I thought I might, and I realised these Big Fears and Constant Overthinking were part of the reason why. Because here is Hazel, who analyses and agonises over everything, who is a lesbian and knows this for certain at 12, who watches friendships from a distance and doesn’t know what that would look like for her, who isn’t sure how to show affection without it being misinterpreted, who tries so hard not to give anyone anything to misinterpret. Who accepts being treated like ‘one of the boys’ because she’s actually being treated like ‘one of the’ somethings. One of the anythings at all. Someone who feels othered enough to think she isn’t like other girls, and knows the ways in which she isn’t, but comes to realise just how much she is. I saw so much of myself in her that I had to put the book down a couple times, and I just wish I could tell younger me that this exists and we can read it and everyone else can soon too.
I spent a lot of this book angry. Angry for the kids that had to endure things and at adults who didn’t believe them and at the ones doing the hurting and the ones who enabled it. And I’m sad because I know how many people will relate to this. I know it made me confront some memories that weren’t the happiest. But this was truly so brilliant. And I’m so proud and so hopeful reading about people being this brave, even when I wish they didn’t have to be. I loved the humour and the friendships and the special teachers in amongst the bad. I felt the relief of being reassured that something isn’t your fault. And I loved the vengeance too, because I know I personally would have used even more cheesecakes (if you know, you know).
It all warmed my heart and filled it and I couldn’t have read it faster. It’s a middle grade read but my twenty-something self loved it (if you didn’t get that from the above) and so did my mom (when I recounted the entire plot over dinner without warning). I would recommend it to anyone. It’s out soon and I’d love to hear what you think if you check it out!
I’m so grateful it exists.
September 22, 2022
the easiest five stars i have ever given and the easiest recommendation i will ever give.
this is a book for young girls. for girls to feel empowered, for girls to feel understood, for girls to be believed, for girls to feel safe. it is also a book for women. for women who as girls were not believed, for girls who were, and for girls that were silenced.
hazel hill is gonna win this one focuses on three 12-year-olds - hazel, ella and riley as they team up to take down a fellow student who is a sexual harasser; the golden boy of the school. it is not easy, as opening up about sexual harassment as a girl or woman is not. but these three girls, who have not even reached teenage-hood yet, do not give up on fighting the good fight. they believe each other, they believe the other girls around them, and they fight like hell.
as a girl who was too afraid to say anything to cat callers and to boys in corridors at school who thought they could say and touch whatever they liked, this book had an element of healing attached to it. whilst the trauma that comes with being a girl and a woman in a world where men feel entitled to take whatever they want from us and to say whatever they like to us, this book quietened all of that during the three hours i devoured it in.
the world should not work like this. girls and women of any age should be able to speak out and be believed immediately. we should not have to fight the good fight so that an adult, who is responsible for keeping us safe, will listen to us and take action to protect us. unfortunately, it is the case. knowing that young girls like hazel, ella and riley exist, knowing that they know themselves and that they are fighting for change makes me hopeful for the future. it is a fight that i was unanimously behind them in, and in real life join in.
maggie horne has created something so very special here. i cannot stop thinking about it, or what a story like this one would have done for and to me as a young girl with big feelings about the things said and done to me that i felt ashamed of. with that being said, i sincerely will be recommending this to everyone in my life regardless of age. it will be something my future children will grow up with and something friends' children will be gifted by me. and i truly hope that this is not the first and last time we join hazel and co.
finally, thank you to netgalley and firefly press for the arc. one of my favourite reads of the year so far and one i recommend to all.
this is a book for young girls. for girls to feel empowered, for girls to feel understood, for girls to be believed, for girls to feel safe. it is also a book for women. for women who as girls were not believed, for girls who were, and for girls that were silenced.
hazel hill is gonna win this one focuses on three 12-year-olds - hazel, ella and riley as they team up to take down a fellow student who is a sexual harasser; the golden boy of the school. it is not easy, as opening up about sexual harassment as a girl or woman is not. but these three girls, who have not even reached teenage-hood yet, do not give up on fighting the good fight. they believe each other, they believe the other girls around them, and they fight like hell.
as a girl who was too afraid to say anything to cat callers and to boys in corridors at school who thought they could say and touch whatever they liked, this book had an element of healing attached to it. whilst the trauma that comes with being a girl and a woman in a world where men feel entitled to take whatever they want from us and to say whatever they like to us, this book quietened all of that during the three hours i devoured it in.
the world should not work like this. girls and women of any age should be able to speak out and be believed immediately. we should not have to fight the good fight so that an adult, who is responsible for keeping us safe, will listen to us and take action to protect us. unfortunately, it is the case. knowing that young girls like hazel, ella and riley exist, knowing that they know themselves and that they are fighting for change makes me hopeful for the future. it is a fight that i was unanimously behind them in, and in real life join in.
maggie horne has created something so very special here. i cannot stop thinking about it, or what a story like this one would have done for and to me as a young girl with big feelings about the things said and done to me that i felt ashamed of. with that being said, i sincerely will be recommending this to everyone in my life regardless of age. it will be something my future children will grow up with and something friends' children will be gifted by me. and i truly hope that this is not the first and last time we join hazel and co.
finally, thank you to netgalley and firefly press for the arc. one of my favourite reads of the year so far and one i recommend to all.
August 26, 2022
Hey! I wrote this! I think it's great! I hope that you will too!!
I wrote HAZEL based on my own experience as a 12-year-old, watching myself and my friends and basically every girl around me being sexually harassed in varying amounts by the boys we went to school with who teachers called Gifted and Special and Maybe-They-Just-Aren't-Being-Challenged-Enough. It mattered. It had enough of an impact on me that now, years later, even though I haven't spoken to those boys in well over a decade, I remember all of it. I hope that no one relates to Hazel and Ella Quinn and Riley, but I know they will.
I wrote HAZEL based on my own experience as a 12-year-old, watching myself and my friends and basically every girl around me being sexually harassed in varying amounts by the boys we went to school with who teachers called Gifted and Special and Maybe-They-Just-Aren't-Being-Challenged-Enough. It mattered. It had enough of an impact on me that now, years later, even though I haven't spoken to those boys in well over a decade, I remember all of it. I hope that no one relates to Hazel and Ella Quinn and Riley, but I know they will.
March 17, 2023
DNFed sixty percent just because I didn’t like any of the characters. They are so young but I feel they are being really pretentious from the ways they are thinking. They are really unlikeable how things are going and the plot? Well, I need a better one. I really do not like the tone of the main child character. Why is it okay for the main character that the best friend is a playboy? Is it too soon a middle grade character a play boy? What do we call such a kid at this age who keeps dating different girls for short periods? Not cute funny kind you know? And why is it okay for someone to reveal the sexuality of a stranger and make fun of it again and again, now wanting to be with them because of it but also trying to show off as if you’re a good person by being nice to them in public.
Somehow I just just couldn’t understand this book. Not the book I would recommend. Because it gets really boring pretty soon too.
Somehow I just just couldn’t understand this book. Not the book I would recommend. Because it gets really boring pretty soon too.
August 28, 2022
Hazel Hill has stolen my heart and is without a doubt one of the best middlegrade main characters I've ever read about. This book is short but strong, with a really great voice that manages to keep the tone of the book light while discussing the heavy theme of sexual harrassment. Although when the teacher said that yes, she's a feminist, but these are little girls and not women and they should act like it, I wanted to crawl through my Kindle screen and suckerpunch her.
There's really a lot to love about this book. It's a queer middlegrade where the main character already knows she's a lesbian before the story starts, which I haven't come across a lot. Her sexuality isn't the central focus of the book and takes more of a backseat, although of course it is an important theme. I also absolutely loved Hazel's budding friendship with Ella and Riley, which was so wholesome.
There's really a lot to love about this book. It's a queer middlegrade where the main character already knows she's a lesbian before the story starts, which I haven't come across a lot. Her sexuality isn't the central focus of the book and takes more of a backseat, although of course it is an important theme. I also absolutely loved Hazel's budding friendship with Ella and Riley, which was so wholesome.
August 26, 2022
On my blog.
Rep: lesbian mc, sapphic side character
CWs: sexual harassment
Galley provided by publisher
Hazel Hill is Gonna Win This One is a middle grade book that balances a sweet storyline with heavier themes and does it well. It’s a story about forming friendships, but also about standing against sexual harassment.
I’m not sure how best to go about reviewing this book (why is it the books you enjoyed are the hardest to find words for?) so let me just list all the things I liked about it. That’s going to be easiest.
— The friendship between Hazel, Ella Quinn and Riley. This is really central to the book and what I liked most about it was how naturally it grew. It was also pretty funny just how convinced Hazel was that Ella Quinn was somehow her nemesis, when Ella didn’t think so at all.
— Hazel’s sexuality wasn’t as central to the story. I mean, of course it mattered, because it mattered to Hazel. But this wasn’t a book about that (a fact that is still somewhat rare in MG lit at least, although growing less so).
— As I mentioned at the start, there was a good balance between navigating more serious topics, like Tyler’s sexual harassment of Ella Quinn, and a more lighthearted tone. I think that was a good way to go about the topic for an MG book: it never minimised the sexual harassment and treated it as seriously as it should be, but there were still moments of lightness within it all.
So, really, even if you don’t read much middle grade, this is a book I would highly recommend picking up.
Rep: lesbian mc, sapphic side character
CWs: sexual harassment
Galley provided by publisher
Hazel Hill is Gonna Win This One is a middle grade book that balances a sweet storyline with heavier themes and does it well. It’s a story about forming friendships, but also about standing against sexual harassment.
I’m not sure how best to go about reviewing this book (why is it the books you enjoyed are the hardest to find words for?) so let me just list all the things I liked about it. That’s going to be easiest.
— The friendship between Hazel, Ella Quinn and Riley. This is really central to the book and what I liked most about it was how naturally it grew. It was also pretty funny just how convinced Hazel was that Ella Quinn was somehow her nemesis, when Ella didn’t think so at all.
— Hazel’s sexuality wasn’t as central to the story. I mean, of course it mattered, because it mattered to Hazel. But this wasn’t a book about that (a fact that is still somewhat rare in MG lit at least, although growing less so).
— As I mentioned at the start, there was a good balance between navigating more serious topics, like Tyler’s sexual harassment of Ella Quinn, and a more lighthearted tone. I think that was a good way to go about the topic for an MG book: it never minimised the sexual harassment and treated it as seriously as it should be, but there were still moments of lightness within it all.
So, really, even if you don’t read much middle grade, this is a book I would highly recommend picking up.
October 24, 2022
A powerful and important story!
October 18, 2022
This is a powerful book that every young girl should read! This is a coming of age book, but it is so much more than that.
It breaks my heart that so many girls and women end up putting up with harassment just because they think that no one will believe them. This book is powerful since Hazel sticks up for others and really shows her self confidence. It is so important to feel seen and heard.
My 4th grade daughter read this book and I hope that it had a positive impact on her. Her biggest comment was that Hazel and her friends are true superheros since they don't need silly outfits or a cape to make a difference. Hazel Hill wins!
Thank you to Harper Collins and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this ARC for my honest review.
It breaks my heart that so many girls and women end up putting up with harassment just because they think that no one will believe them. This book is powerful since Hazel sticks up for others and really shows her self confidence. It is so important to feel seen and heard.
My 4th grade daughter read this book and I hope that it had a positive impact on her. Her biggest comment was that Hazel and her friends are true superheros since they don't need silly outfits or a cape to make a difference. Hazel Hill wins!
Thank you to Harper Collins and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this ARC for my honest review.
September 5, 2022
Okay. First. I wish all the Tylers to go cheesecake themselves.
More seriously now.
I adores this book. It's the kind of books I would recommand to every teenage girls. To make them know that they're not alone. That if something like that is happening to them, that it's not okay, it's not funny and most of all, that it's not their fault.
Hazel is a lovely character. I liked her a lot. Kinda related to her insecurities towards people but hey, we're working on that :')
In short, it's a little novel, with a lesbian MC who's smashing patriarchy with her friends.
I'll definitely check out the author next novel !
Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins Publishers for their trust
More seriously now.
I adores this book. It's the kind of books I would recommand to every teenage girls. To make them know that they're not alone. That if something like that is happening to them, that it's not okay, it's not funny and most of all, that it's not their fault.
Hazel is a lovely character. I liked her a lot. Kinda related to her insecurities towards people but hey, we're working on that :')
In short, it's a little novel, with a lesbian MC who's smashing patriarchy with her friends.
I'll definitely check out the author next novel !
Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins Publishers for their trust
December 24, 2022
Every child in 6th grade should read this. And every adult in education should too.
October 25, 2022
I want to shove this book into the hands of every middle school girl I can find!! I was beyond moved by how tactfully the subject of sexual harrassment was handled in this book. I related to the girls in this book in a way that was both validating and painful, it is SO important for girls to know what to do when they find themselves in a situation like Hazel - or like Ella Quinn. I also thought it was so important to highlight that adults are fallible, and downright wrong, in situations like these
Hazel is an amazing role model - she is incredibly brave, smart, and empathetic. She takes everything in stride and I loved her determination. Even with the heavy subject matter, Horne manages to keep the book feeling lighthearted and funny. Hazel's relationship with her dad was precious and they had me laughing every time they interacted.
I also really loved the queer representation WITHOUT a romantic plot line or "crush" shoehorned in. All in all, I ADORED this story!!
Many thanks to the publisher for my gifted copy in exchange for my honest review!
Hazel is an amazing role model - she is incredibly brave, smart, and empathetic. She takes everything in stride and I loved her determination. Even with the heavy subject matter, Horne manages to keep the book feeling lighthearted and funny. Hazel's relationship with her dad was precious and they had me laughing every time they interacted.
I also really loved the queer representation WITHOUT a romantic plot line or "crush" shoehorned in. All in all, I ADORED this story!!
Many thanks to the publisher for my gifted copy in exchange for my honest review!
October 10, 2022
A middle grade debut that really packs a punch. For the girls who are fed up of not being listened to, Hazel Hill is your heroine!
Hazel is twelve. She knows she’s gay, but because she’s not that popular she doesn’t fret too much about how people see her. Hazel’s biggest problem when we first meet her is whether she can beat her nemesis, Ella Quinn, in the annul speech competition. However, events quickly take over and our focus shifts to a bigger stage.
While the story focuses on Hazel and her developing friendship with Ella, our prince target is the cheesecake Tyler who has been targeting girls all year, sending them offensive messages and making life generally unpleasant for them.
Hazel and Ella come up with a plan - with a little prompting from the amazing Miss A - so audacious in its simplicity. All they want is to have an adult believe them…so they find the right audience and go for it!
Huge thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this.
Hazel is twelve. She knows she’s gay, but because she’s not that popular she doesn’t fret too much about how people see her. Hazel’s biggest problem when we first meet her is whether she can beat her nemesis, Ella Quinn, in the annul speech competition. However, events quickly take over and our focus shifts to a bigger stage.
While the story focuses on Hazel and her developing friendship with Ella, our prince target is the cheesecake Tyler who has been targeting girls all year, sending them offensive messages and making life generally unpleasant for them.
Hazel and Ella come up with a plan - with a little prompting from the amazing Miss A - so audacious in its simplicity. All they want is to have an adult believe them…so they find the right audience and go for it!
Huge thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this.
July 10, 2022
Fantastic!!! A refreshing middle school book that is age appropriate and covers important topics. Hazel Hill is bright and her biggest goal this year is to win the speech competition. She is befriended by Ella and Riley and learns that Ella is being sexually harassed online by a boy in their grade. Together they take on the challenge to try and prove it and get him to stop. The fight is realistic as is the fact that adults aren’t always helpful. This is a perfect read in a me too era for both girls and boys. I love how supportive Ella’s parents are, but she still can’t communicate all that is going on with her. This made me feel good as I finished the story and it has a realistic conclusion. Hazel herself isn’t interested in boys but that isn’t the focus of the story. It does add wonderful representation that is often missing for younger readers.
Sadly some of the statistics included say that 25% of students experience some sort of verbal of physical sexual harassment in middle school. I love the authors notes at the end telling of her own experience where she was made to feel uncomfortable. It reminded me of Shannon Hale writing similarly in her graphic novel Friends Forever last year. The message is clear we need to do better in believing and encouraging young people to speak up when they don’t feel safe or are uncomfortable.
Happy to recommend for upper elementary grades and middles schoolers. Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins Children’s Books, Clarion Book and the author for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Sadly some of the statistics included say that 25% of students experience some sort of verbal of physical sexual harassment in middle school. I love the authors notes at the end telling of her own experience where she was made to feel uncomfortable. It reminded me of Shannon Hale writing similarly in her graphic novel Friends Forever last year. The message is clear we need to do better in believing and encouraging young people to speak up when they don’t feel safe or are uncomfortable.
Happy to recommend for upper elementary grades and middles schoolers. Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins Children’s Books, Clarion Book and the author for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 28, 2024
This was absolutely fantastic! We love a queer middle grade book that discusses online sexual harassment.
I only wish that every school has a brave girl like Hazel and a grown up that believes them like Ms Gate.
I only wish that every school has a brave girl like Hazel and a grown up that believes them like Ms Gate.
December 4, 2022
One of my new favorite middle grades!!!
June 23, 2023
VIDEORECENZE/VLOG: https://youtu.be/KBVT5GhhtPk
Takovýchto knih potřebujeme víc. Ta frustrace těch holek, jak jim nikdo nevěřil, se na mě neskutečně přenášela. Musíme víc otevřít oči a větu "kluci jsou kluci" nechat v minulosti. Jen protože jsou to děti, neznamená, že takové obtěžování je okay. NENÍ!
Takovýchto knih potřebujeme víc. Ta frustrace těch holek, jak jim nikdo nevěřil, se na mě neskutečně přenášela. Musíme víc otevřít oči a větu "kluci jsou kluci" nechat v minulosti. Jen protože jsou to děti, neznamená, že takové obtěžování je okay. NENÍ!
November 9, 2023
This is a novel about cyberbullying. Unfortunately it's not one I would want my kids to read. The first thing that disturbed me about the story was the author's very strong "believe women" stance, which is expressed over and over throughout the story. Cyberbullying done by guys tends to be very crude and obvious, such as it is in this story, with abusive and lewd comments. But cyberbullying done by girls tends to me more subtle, taking the form of using words to ruin the reputation of another person. The existence of this type of bullying is not mentioned, but is quite real. The fact is, there are nasty people of both genders, so taking the stance "believe women" in all circumstances is naive. "Innocent until proven guilty" is the fair stance. In this story, there's no doubt that the antagonist, Tyler, is guilty of bullying, but there is still a process that must be gone through to determine that guilt objectively in the eyes of others. A teacher or a parent shouldn't simply believe an accusation without evidence because it was spoken by a girl. (I'm not defending the overly dismissive attitude of Mrs West here either.)
There is another moral dimension to this story that is not addressed at all. The girl Ella (twelve years old) experienced bullying because she installed a social media app that allowed others to make anonymous comments on her profile. She did this without her parents' knowledge or consent. She refuses to turn to her parents for help with the bullying because she knows that her phone will probably be taken away from her. There's a point in the story where the girls are whining about how no adults will listen to them. Not true. The girls refuse to bring their parents into the picture, because they would have to fess up to abusing their parents' trust. At any point they can do the right thing and face the consequences, but they don't. They would rather suffer, and take a path of personal vengeance against the offender.
There's a mental health epidemic among kids these days, and it's because of social media apps on phones. The Internet is not a children's playground. When children treat it as such, they will get hurt. The real villian is not Tyler. People like Tyler exist; that is just a fact of life. The real villain is the social media company that created an app that allowed people to be abused anonymously, that allowed children to set up accounts without age verification. So the answer to Ella's problem is obvious: UNINSTALL THE APP! Does this enter her mind at all? No. The girls concentrate entirely on making Tyler pay for what he's doing.
By the end of the story, all the adults have apologised profusely, to a cringeworthy degree. I thought it was particularly farcical how the school board overseer apologised for failing to deal with a problem that wasn't even a school problem. PARENTS gave these devices to their kids. PARENTS failed to monitor what their kids were doing on them. And these kids are communicating with each other all hours or the day and night. How is that a school-created problem?
So the girls deal with Tyler. What about all the other Tylers out there? Because the girls still have their phones, they've still got the offending app installed, their parents are still unaware of their children's deception. (Apparently, the girls done nothing wrong!) So we're back to square one, waiting for the next round of anonymous abuse online - which will happen, because human nature is what it is. Oh, none of that is mentioned in the story. The story has a happy ending on the surface. You have to read between the lines to see what I see.
Is my critique too deep? Maybe, but it's realistic. I would not want my kids to read this, because the story normalises the culture of kids with phones using them in ways they shouldn't, in casual disregard of the adults who know better and wish only to protect them.
There is another moral dimension to this story that is not addressed at all. The girl Ella (twelve years old) experienced bullying because she installed a social media app that allowed others to make anonymous comments on her profile. She did this without her parents' knowledge or consent. She refuses to turn to her parents for help with the bullying because she knows that her phone will probably be taken away from her. There's a point in the story where the girls are whining about how no adults will listen to them. Not true. The girls refuse to bring their parents into the picture, because they would have to fess up to abusing their parents' trust. At any point they can do the right thing and face the consequences, but they don't. They would rather suffer, and take a path of personal vengeance against the offender.
There's a mental health epidemic among kids these days, and it's because of social media apps on phones. The Internet is not a children's playground. When children treat it as such, they will get hurt. The real villian is not Tyler. People like Tyler exist; that is just a fact of life. The real villain is the social media company that created an app that allowed people to be abused anonymously, that allowed children to set up accounts without age verification. So the answer to Ella's problem is obvious: UNINSTALL THE APP! Does this enter her mind at all? No. The girls concentrate entirely on making Tyler pay for what he's doing.
By the end of the story, all the adults have apologised profusely, to a cringeworthy degree. I thought it was particularly farcical how the school board overseer apologised for failing to deal with a problem that wasn't even a school problem. PARENTS gave these devices to their kids. PARENTS failed to monitor what their kids were doing on them. And these kids are communicating with each other all hours or the day and night. How is that a school-created problem?
So the girls deal with Tyler. What about all the other Tylers out there? Because the girls still have their phones, they've still got the offending app installed, their parents are still unaware of their children's deception. (Apparently, the girls done nothing wrong!) So we're back to square one, waiting for the next round of anonymous abuse online - which will happen, because human nature is what it is. Oh, none of that is mentioned in the story. The story has a happy ending on the surface. You have to read between the lines to see what I see.
Is my critique too deep? Maybe, but it's realistic. I would not want my kids to read this, because the story normalises the culture of kids with phones using them in ways they shouldn't, in casual disregard of the adults who know better and wish only to protect them.
March 26, 2022
Hazel, you glorious little badass! I loved everything about this story! Hazel is funny, smart, insecure, and ultimately, brave. My nerdy, introverted, middle school self needed a book like this. A book that shows that it’s not ok for girls to be treated like their bodies are a distraction and something they should have to apologize for. A book that says that it’s not just boys being boys and that “he just likes you” is not an excuse for reprehensible behavior. And a book that celebrates young women finding their voice and speaking up for themselves and other young women. I can’t wait to read more from Maggie Horne. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
May 6, 2023
Content warnings: sexual harassment, sexism, misogyny, classism,
Rep: Hazel (MC) is cis, white, and lesbian (lesbian is not used on page, but she is).
Hazel Hill is an incredible book that explores sexual harassment at the hands of other 12 year olds.
Hazel is a girl who just wants to win the speech competition and she's okay with having no friends. She doesn't need them - they distract from her goals. She's focused, determined, and has a killer speech idea that she's been working on for a year now.
What she doesn't expect is for Tyler, the boy who sits next to her in class to tell her that another girl has a crush on her - her nemesis, Ella Quinn.
Hazel knows she's lesbian, she's comfortable with that, she's secure in the knowledge that she isn't "boy crazy" like a lot of the other girls around her seem to be.
Ella Quinn won the speech competition the previous year and Hazel has hated it ever since.
I'm terrible at summarising, we know this.
Okay. So! I LOVE that Hazel calls Ella out on her fake crush on Hazel. But Ella only did it because Tyler kept harassing her. After some panicking on Hazel's part where she accidentally came out to Ella, she finds out that Ella wasn't lying - that Tyler has been harassing her pretty steadily since she told him she didn't want to go out with him again.
I absolutely LOVE the friendships that formed between Hazel, Ella and Riley (Ella's best friend) during their bid to try and take Tyler down.
I love realisation from Hazel herself that she wasn't being very feminist about the entire situation, especially when she immediately believed Tyler over Ella. But it was challenged in an authentic and caring way. The entire thing was handled so well.
Hazel, when her mind is set on something, is determined to see it through.
These girls do everything in their power to get their principal and other teachers to listen to them about Tyler's harassment, but they have Tyler's mum coming in and kicking up a stink over his "mistreatment" at every turn.
The way it ended was so well done. I admit, I welled up a little.
I want all kids to read this book.
I talk about books at these places: Instagram / Twitter / TikTok / Blog
Rep: Hazel (MC) is cis, white, and lesbian (lesbian is not used on page, but she is).
Hazel Hill is an incredible book that explores sexual harassment at the hands of other 12 year olds.
Hazel is a girl who just wants to win the speech competition and she's okay with having no friends. She doesn't need them - they distract from her goals. She's focused, determined, and has a killer speech idea that she's been working on for a year now.
What she doesn't expect is for Tyler, the boy who sits next to her in class to tell her that another girl has a crush on her - her nemesis, Ella Quinn.
Hazel knows she's lesbian, she's comfortable with that, she's secure in the knowledge that she isn't "boy crazy" like a lot of the other girls around her seem to be.
Ella Quinn won the speech competition the previous year and Hazel has hated it ever since.
I'm terrible at summarising, we know this.
Okay. So! I LOVE that Hazel calls Ella out on her fake crush on Hazel. But Ella only did it because Tyler kept harassing her. After some panicking on Hazel's part where she accidentally came out to Ella, she finds out that Ella wasn't lying - that Tyler has been harassing her pretty steadily since she told him she didn't want to go out with him again.
I absolutely LOVE the friendships that formed between Hazel, Ella and Riley (Ella's best friend) during their bid to try and take Tyler down.
I love realisation from Hazel herself that she wasn't being very feminist about the entire situation, especially when she immediately believed Tyler over Ella. But it was challenged in an authentic and caring way. The entire thing was handled so well.
Hazel, when her mind is set on something, is determined to see it through.
These girls do everything in their power to get their principal and other teachers to listen to them about Tyler's harassment, but they have Tyler's mum coming in and kicking up a stink over his "mistreatment" at every turn.
The way it ended was so well done. I admit, I welled up a little.
I want all kids to read this book.
I talk about books at these places: Instagram / Twitter / TikTok / Blog
October 10, 2022
Thank you to Harper Collins Children’s Books/Clarion Books, the author, and NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review. This book will release October 18, 2022.
“If it’s not worth it, that means we aren’t worth it,” Ella Quinn says. “And I can’t just . . . keep living in a world where we aren’t worth it.”
The last thing Hazel Hill needs this year is to make friends—especially not with Ella Quinn, Hazel’s self-declared nemesis and biggest threat to her winning the school-wide speech competition. But that’s exactly what begins to happen after Hazel learns that Tyler, the golden boy who treats her like a human diary, has been sexually harassing Ella Quinn online. When it turns out that Ella Quinn isn’t the only victim of his vicious behavior, Hazel and her new friends (and maybe a crush, too?) band together to figure out a way to take down Tyler.
I love Hazel. I love love love her. I love how motivated she is, and her disdain for middle school “relationships,” and her desire to be an expert on many different subjects, and just her whole personality. And I like the loneliness that she tries to hide—she says she doesn’t want friends, but she watches friends interact and is just baffled by how people fit together. She just feels like a fully realized character and one I would have found deeply relatable as a kid her age. I still do, actually! (Relate to her, that is.)
The author does an amazing job here of exploring a web of several issues all tied together by the main problem of that cheesecake Tyler’s sexual harassment, including Hazel not feeling like she can tell her parents the full extent of the situation, disbelieving adults that talk down to her and her friends and accuse them of perpetrating harassment instead, and girls reluctant to speak up. There were times when I wanted to throttle teacher characters, especially the principal. But thankfully not everyone in authority in the book is a monster. I also thought that the anger and tension resulting from a lie Ella Quinn told (solely to get Tyler to stop harassing her) was handled well, because it’s a tricky situation to pull off without ending up disliking Ella Quinn for her lie and Hazel for her immediate reaction. And I adore that the end had Hazel winning in more ways than one—and being okay with the fact that it might not have been in the way she expected.
“If it’s not worth it, that means we aren’t worth it,” Ella Quinn says. “And I can’t just . . . keep living in a world where we aren’t worth it.”
The last thing Hazel Hill needs this year is to make friends—especially not with Ella Quinn, Hazel’s self-declared nemesis and biggest threat to her winning the school-wide speech competition. But that’s exactly what begins to happen after Hazel learns that Tyler, the golden boy who treats her like a human diary, has been sexually harassing Ella Quinn online. When it turns out that Ella Quinn isn’t the only victim of his vicious behavior, Hazel and her new friends (and maybe a crush, too?) band together to figure out a way to take down Tyler.
I love Hazel. I love love love her. I love how motivated she is, and her disdain for middle school “relationships,” and her desire to be an expert on many different subjects, and just her whole personality. And I like the loneliness that she tries to hide—she says she doesn’t want friends, but she watches friends interact and is just baffled by how people fit together. She just feels like a fully realized character and one I would have found deeply relatable as a kid her age. I still do, actually! (Relate to her, that is.)
The author does an amazing job here of exploring a web of several issues all tied together by the main problem of that cheesecake Tyler’s sexual harassment, including Hazel not feeling like she can tell her parents the full extent of the situation, disbelieving adults that talk down to her and her friends and accuse them of perpetrating harassment instead, and girls reluctant to speak up. There were times when I wanted to throttle teacher characters, especially the principal. But thankfully not everyone in authority in the book is a monster. I also thought that the anger and tension resulting from a lie Ella Quinn told (solely to get Tyler to stop harassing her) was handled well, because it’s a tricky situation to pull off without ending up disliking Ella Quinn for her lie and Hazel for her immediate reaction. And I adore that the end had Hazel winning in more ways than one—and being okay with the fact that it might not have been in the way she expected.
October 2, 2022
“‘Aren’t feminists supposed to believe women with stuff like this?’ Mrs. West laughs like Ella Quinn caught her off guard. ‘I do believe women, thank you. But you aren’t a woman, Miss Quinn. You’re a little girl.’” (This quote is from an ARC and may not be the same in the final copy.)
I have a lot of respect for recent middle-grade novels. More and more they aren’t built for a chosen few, more and more they talk about issues that some would call “inappropriate” or “too mature” for the age group. Hazel Hill is Gonna Win This One makes it clear that there is no required age for someone to have to deal with harassment, there is only an age requirement for someone to be listened to. We don’t teach words to describe boundaries and consent, resulting in many people not being able to articulate their experiences. But even if someone could jump the language barrier, what would the response be?
Hazel Hill is an outsider and a constant recipient of Tyler Harris’s dating life drama. Until one day when Tyler has something interesting to say for once…and the spotlight is suddenly thrown in her direction. She confronts the renowned Ella Quinn and she discovers that Tyler is far from who she thinks he is. Now Hazel has to decide between winning or fighting the system, but things like this are rarely so simple.
This book had a strong message, a fairly engaging storyline, and a somewhat realistic ending that will no doubt inspire many young readers to stand up for themselves. What I do wish was stronger is the character building. As much as the characters are unique they are also bland. The story focuses on the problem at hand so keenly that it becomes each character’s whole identity. I wanted there to be complexities where there weren’t any discussions of intersectionalities where it lacked. It was the perfect situation to talk about the white privilege of being listened to. Yes, the school didn’t listen to them at first, but there is a large difference between a Black or Brown student asking for help and getting it vs a white student. That was not discussed.
Hazel Hill is Gonna Win This One is a great middle-grade novel. It confronts a very specific issue and gives a toolset to fight for justice, but it has little to offer for older readers. It does what it set out to do and no more. I wasn’t satisfied with that. This boils down to personal preference and content. It is a good book but as an older reader, I am in the same place mentally after reading it as I was before. That’s the issue.
--ARC Provided by High Five Books--
I have a lot of respect for recent middle-grade novels. More and more they aren’t built for a chosen few, more and more they talk about issues that some would call “inappropriate” or “too mature” for the age group. Hazel Hill is Gonna Win This One makes it clear that there is no required age for someone to have to deal with harassment, there is only an age requirement for someone to be listened to. We don’t teach words to describe boundaries and consent, resulting in many people not being able to articulate their experiences. But even if someone could jump the language barrier, what would the response be?
Hazel Hill is an outsider and a constant recipient of Tyler Harris’s dating life drama. Until one day when Tyler has something interesting to say for once…and the spotlight is suddenly thrown in her direction. She confronts the renowned Ella Quinn and she discovers that Tyler is far from who she thinks he is. Now Hazel has to decide between winning or fighting the system, but things like this are rarely so simple.
This book had a strong message, a fairly engaging storyline, and a somewhat realistic ending that will no doubt inspire many young readers to stand up for themselves. What I do wish was stronger is the character building. As much as the characters are unique they are also bland. The story focuses on the problem at hand so keenly that it becomes each character’s whole identity. I wanted there to be complexities where there weren’t any discussions of intersectionalities where it lacked. It was the perfect situation to talk about the white privilege of being listened to. Yes, the school didn’t listen to them at first, but there is a large difference between a Black or Brown student asking for help and getting it vs a white student. That was not discussed.
Hazel Hill is Gonna Win This One is a great middle-grade novel. It confronts a very specific issue and gives a toolset to fight for justice, but it has little to offer for older readers. It does what it set out to do and no more. I wasn’t satisfied with that. This boils down to personal preference and content. It is a good book but as an older reader, I am in the same place mentally after reading it as I was before. That’s the issue.
--ARC Provided by High Five Books--
September 15, 2022
Firstly I just wanted to say thank you so much to the publisher for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
TW: Sexual Harassment
Girls in Hazel’s school are being harassed, but they’re too scared to speak out about it. Hazel and her new friends- Ella and Riley- team up to try and fight for what is right in this relatable and empowering middle grade about friendship, finding your voice and standing up for what you believe in.
I’d definitely recommend this book, especially to younger readers. Even if you don’t read much middle grade, I would highly recommend picking this one up. It’s such an empowering read, that shows (younger readers especially) that harassment is never okay and no matter what, you are never alone. It features three 12 year old girls standing up to sexual harassment, even when nobody believes them (which, sadly, is the case for a lot of sexual harassment).
Not only does this book tackle the issues of sexual harassment, it also features a lesbian main character. This book isn’t about her inner struggles or her ‘coming out’ story, she’s very confident in her identity and I can see this being very comforting to younger queer readers like Hazel.
Hazel is such an amazing main character and I know that she will inspire so many young people who read this book.
5/5 ⭐️s
TW: Sexual Harassment
Girls in Hazel’s school are being harassed, but they’re too scared to speak out about it. Hazel and her new friends- Ella and Riley- team up to try and fight for what is right in this relatable and empowering middle grade about friendship, finding your voice and standing up for what you believe in.
I’d definitely recommend this book, especially to younger readers. Even if you don’t read much middle grade, I would highly recommend picking this one up. It’s such an empowering read, that shows (younger readers especially) that harassment is never okay and no matter what, you are never alone. It features three 12 year old girls standing up to sexual harassment, even when nobody believes them (which, sadly, is the case for a lot of sexual harassment).
Not only does this book tackle the issues of sexual harassment, it also features a lesbian main character. This book isn’t about her inner struggles or her ‘coming out’ story, she’s very confident in her identity and I can see this being very comforting to younger queer readers like Hazel.
Hazel is such an amazing main character and I know that she will inspire so many young people who read this book.
5/5 ⭐️s
October 17, 2022
"A great speech can change the world. If you have something to say, and you say it well, you might find it's the perfect way to get a point across. Even if it scares you"
TW : Online bullying and sexual harassment.
Hazel Hill is the perfect student. Great grades, no complaints from anyone and she's amazing at delivering speeches. Ella Quinn is her academic nemesis. But when Tyler, a kid who thinks he can get away with anything he wants, starts to sexually harass girls online, Hazel and Ella, along with Ella's friend Riley, come together to put a stop to it.
Even though this is a book for middle grade readers, I truly think everyone can and should read this one. I was laughing and being angry and crying with Hazel, Ella and Riley. The fact that none of the adults, whose responsibility it is to keep children safe and feel safe, took them seriously when they tried to raise awareness of such an important issue made my blood boil. I read with tears how Mrs. West talked to Hazel and Ella in a condescending tone and how dismissive she was to their concerns. I was furious to read how Tyler's mother thinks of her son as "perfect" and let's him get away with everything because "they're boys", as if that makes it okay. 💢
And we need more of Mrs. A in our world, people who will truly believe and be compassionate to kids when they speak up about their struggles and troubles, ones who won't dismiss them as "little kids" and say "act your age". Many people, including kids, receive such messages and I cannot even imagine the pain it inflicts on them. The anonymity that social media provides is used as a mask for people to spew hatred and IT NEEDS TO STOP. 🚫
A million little stars for this one. It's a quick read on an important topic so do pick it up!💛⭐
TW : Online bullying and sexual harassment.
Hazel Hill is the perfect student. Great grades, no complaints from anyone and she's amazing at delivering speeches. Ella Quinn is her academic nemesis. But when Tyler, a kid who thinks he can get away with anything he wants, starts to sexually harass girls online, Hazel and Ella, along with Ella's friend Riley, come together to put a stop to it.
Even though this is a book for middle grade readers, I truly think everyone can and should read this one. I was laughing and being angry and crying with Hazel, Ella and Riley. The fact that none of the adults, whose responsibility it is to keep children safe and feel safe, took them seriously when they tried to raise awareness of such an important issue made my blood boil. I read with tears how Mrs. West talked to Hazel and Ella in a condescending tone and how dismissive she was to their concerns. I was furious to read how Tyler's mother thinks of her son as "perfect" and let's him get away with everything because "they're boys", as if that makes it okay. 💢
And we need more of Mrs. A in our world, people who will truly believe and be compassionate to kids when they speak up about their struggles and troubles, ones who won't dismiss them as "little kids" and say "act your age". Many people, including kids, receive such messages and I cannot even imagine the pain it inflicts on them. The anonymity that social media provides is used as a mask for people to spew hatred and IT NEEDS TO STOP. 🚫
A million little stars for this one. It's a quick read on an important topic so do pick it up!💛⭐
May 26, 2022
I loved this! A powerful story about three 12-year-old girls standing up to sexual harassment from a classmate, with lots of humour and a brilliant narrator in Hazel, this is an important but also really enjoyable read for middle grade students.
June 5, 2022
I received an ARC for this book.
In a better world, one where boys were not encouraged in so many ways to treat girls as targets, where social media wasn't used as a tool for Harrassment and abuse, and where adults and those in power listened, this book wouldn't be needed.
Unfortunately, it is. This book would be an excellent shared reading experience to discuss issues of consent and to discuss "Me too" in an age appropriate manner for middle school students. While this book centers the female characters, it's an important lesson for all students.. It is also refreshing to see a young protagonist who is aware that she isn't interested in boys in the way her classmates seem to be, but the book isn't focused on that. It is the sort of representation that books that include LGBT main characters often miss.
Overall, this is an excellent book that sorely needs to be included in classrooms and libraries. I wish there weren't a need for it, but since there is, I am glad it exists.
In a better world, one where boys were not encouraged in so many ways to treat girls as targets, where social media wasn't used as a tool for Harrassment and abuse, and where adults and those in power listened, this book wouldn't be needed.
Unfortunately, it is. This book would be an excellent shared reading experience to discuss issues of consent and to discuss "Me too" in an age appropriate manner for middle school students. While this book centers the female characters, it's an important lesson for all students.. It is also refreshing to see a young protagonist who is aware that she isn't interested in boys in the way her classmates seem to be, but the book isn't focused on that. It is the sort of representation that books that include LGBT main characters often miss.
Overall, this is an excellent book that sorely needs to be included in classrooms and libraries. I wish there weren't a need for it, but since there is, I am glad it exists.
December 19, 2022
Sensational! I felt like I was back in middle school dealing with these issues and I remember girls not being believed then either! Five stars; the characters, the plot, Hazel’s development through the story, soo good!!
February 16, 2023
This felt like Moxie for middle grade. Sexual harassment, not being listened to, and continuing to fight.
May 9, 2024
A cute little read with all the positive and empowering messages I would want my own child to read about.
October 26, 2024
Hazel Hill Is Gonna Win This One
Overall Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (4/5) or 7.57/10 overall
Characters - 7
Atmosphere - 8
Writing - 7
Plot - 8
Intrigue - 8
Logic - 7
Enjoyment - 8
Overall Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (4/5) or 7.57/10 overall
Characters - 7
Atmosphere - 8
Writing - 7
Plot - 8
Intrigue - 8
Logic - 7
Enjoyment - 8
June 2, 2023
just a great story
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