You Started It

One of Indigo’s Best Teen Books of 2025
A 2025 Indigo Best of the Year (So Far)
One of CBC Books’ Best Canadian Children’s Books of 2025
An Indigo Most Anticipated Teen Book
A JLG Gold Star Selection

“Khalilieh creates an excellent balance between the complicated family relationships Jamie has with her mother and absentee father and some lighter comic moments of going on dates with Axel around their hometown of Toronto. With his golden retriever energy and loving Arab family, Axel shows Jamie how to try new things and embrace her identity in ways she never has before. . . . Highly recommended for libraries diversifying their YA romance collections with more stories that focus on managing identity, disability, and mental health anxieties in positive ways. A sure delight for fans of authors like Tashie Bhuiyan and Farah Heron.” —STARRED REVIEW, School Library Journal

“Khalilieh explores heavier topics, including mental health and racism, in a deft manner that avoids heavy-handedness. Packed with intense moments, emotional drama, and lots of loving (and fraught) family moments, the book ultimately celebrates kindness and love. There’s also a celebration of Palestinian heritage and a welcome inversion of negative stereotypes, especially about Arab men[.]” —Kirkus Reviews

“Khalilieh tackles relevant issues for teens, including self-discovery, strained family relationships, and learning to make healthy choices. . . . You Started It is a fun YA romance that would appeal to fans of Jenny Han or Nicola Yoon. It tackles relevant issues for teens and explores healthy ways to manage communication, relationships, and mental health.” —Diary of a Word Nerd