What If It's Us Book Review | Common Sense Media

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Parents' Guide to

What If It's Us Book Becky Albertalli , Adam Silvera Coming of Age 2018 What If It's Us Poster Image
  • Common Sense Says
  • Parents Say 1 Review
  • Kids Say 22 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

Rachel Sarah By Rachel Sarah , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 14+

Two boys fall for each other in cute queer teen romance.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that What If It's Us, the first novel co-written by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera, is a sweet contemporary romance told from the alternating points of view of two teen boys. Arthur (written by Albertalli) is Jewish…

 Why Age 14+? Products & Purchases

Brands mentioned include: Harry Potter, the musical Dear Evan Hanse

 Sex, Romance & Nudity

Kissing and make out scenes between Arthur and Ben, with buildups to sex without

 Language

Strong language includes mentions of: "a--hole," "d--k," "s--t," "f--k" and its

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

There's one scene of underage drinking, and mentions of drinking and smoking pot

 Violence & Scariness Not present Any Positive Content? Positive Role Models

Both Arthur’s and Ben’s parents are supportive of their sons and encourage their

 Educational Value

Teens will learn a great deal about what it's like to live in New York City, go

Positive Messages

Strong messages about the importance of being vulnerable and true to yourself. T

  • Parents Need to Know

    Parents need to know that What If It's Us, the first novel co-written by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera, is a sweet contemporary romance told from the alternating points of view of two teen boys. Arthur (written by Albertalli) is Jewish and only in New York City for the summer; he struggles with ADHD. Ben (written by Silvera) grew up in New York City with his Puerto Rican family and is getting over a recent breakup. There's some strong language (including f--k" and its variations, "s--t," and "d--k"), as well as references to teens dating and having sex. Parents should be prepared to have conversations about coming out, staying friends with someone you've broken up with, and having sex for your first time.

  • Products & Purchases

    some

    Brands mentioned include: Harry Potter, the musical Dear Evan Hansen, Toy Story, Netflix, Craigslist, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, Facetime, Skittles, Swedish Fish, Coke, Frogger, Google, J. Crew.

  • Sex, Romance & Nudity

    some

    Kissing and make out scenes between Arthur and Ben, with buildups to sex without the graphic details. There are many references to sex (i.e., bumping butts "as a sexual activity"), although there's not actual play-by-by sex.

    Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

    Get started Close

  • Language

    some

    Strong language includes mentions of: "a--hole," "d--k," "s--t," "f--k" and its variations.

    Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

    Get started Close

  • Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

    a little

    There's one scene of underage drinking, and mentions of drinking and smoking pot at parties.

    Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

    Get started Close

  • Positive Role Models

    a lot

    Both Arthur’s and Ben’s parents are supportive of their sons and encourage their relationship. Arthur's dad tries to give dating advice ("This is your first date, and I want to hear all about it"), and Ben's mom listens to her son when he opens up about this feelings.

  • Educational Value

    a lot

    Teens will learn a great deal about what it's like to live in New York City, go to summer school, struggle with ADHD, come out to your friends, and break up and start over.

  • Positive Messages

    a lot

    Strong messages about the importance of being vulnerable and true to yourself. This is a story about the honesty between teens in a romantic relationship and the power of first love. There's also a lot about the importance of LGBTQ teens having supportive families.

Where to Read

Parent and Kid Reviews

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  • Parents Say (1)
  • Kids Say (22)
age 16+

Based on 1 parent review

See all 1 parent review age 14+

Based on 22 kid reviews

Kids say the book captures the charm of a young queer romance between Ben and Arthur but has mixed reviews regarding its pacing and mature content such as sexual references and strong language. While many readers appreciate the emotional depth and character development, some find it unrealistic or disappointing, particularly with the bittersweet ending that leaves certain romantic tensions unresolved.

  • romantic themes
  • emotional depth
  • mixed pacing
  • mature content
  • character development
Summarized with AI
See all 22 kid reviews

What's the Story?

WHAT IF IT'S US tells the story of two teen boys who meet each other at a post office in New York City before a flash mob separates them. The novel alternates points of view between Arthur, who's in New York City as an intern at his mom's law firm, and Ben, who's recovering from a recent breakup. Arthur's family has money, and he wants to go to Yale, although he struggles with ADHD. Ben is Puerto Rican, definitely not well-off, but more sexually experienced. The story begins with Arthur trying to find Ben, the cute boy he met briefly, and follows what happens after they finally connect.

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Is It Any Good?

Our review: Parents say (1 ): Kids say (22 ):

This cute, feel-good story about acceptance and love does a good job of highlighting real issues. It address what it's like to come out to your friends and date someone whose family might have more or less money than you. The romance is very sweet, with many fun pop culture references, yet the storyline remains light, like an adorable Hollywood romcom.

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Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how sex and losing your virginity are dealt with in What If It's Us. What do you think of how Ben and Arthur's sexual relationship is presented? Does it seem realistic?

  • What do you think of how What If It's Us depicts diversity? How do Ben and Arthur differ from the standard teen protagonists you often find in young adult novels? Why is it important to read both about people who are like and also those who are unlike you?

  • Are the friendships in What If It's Us believable? Which ones seem the most true-to-life?

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Book Details

  • Authors : Becky Albertalli , Adam Silvera
  • Genre : Coming of Age
  • Topics : Friendship , School ( High School )
  • Book type : Fiction
  • Publisher : HarperTeen
  • Publication date : October 9, 2018
  • Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 14
  • Number of pages : 448
  • Available on : Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Apple Books, Kindle
  • Last updated : October 9, 2025
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Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

What If It's Us

Suggest an Update

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Related Topics

  • Friendship
  • High School
  • School

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