According to Plan

By: Christen Randall

Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2026-02-03

<b>From <i>USA TODAY</i> bestselling author Christen Randall comes a cozy, feel-good queer romance about self-discovery, finding your person, and carving out a space for yourself in unexpected places—perfect for fans of <i>Heartstopper</i>,<i> Felix Ever After</i>, and Julie Murphy.</b><br><br>Mal Flowers expected senior year fall to be full of cozy sweaters, good coffee, and copyediting. As the new editor-in-chief of their school’s literary magazine, they just want to follow The Plan to graduate and get out of their small midwestern town—a place where, as a broke, fat, queer person with ADHD, they’ve never really fit in. But when budget cuts result in the lit mag’s cancellation, Mal is suddenly left scrambling for something to replace it.<br> <br>That is, until Emerson Pike—who also has ADHD but is loud, confident, and Mal’s complete opposite—suggests the staff go rogue and create a zine instead. Which would be cool, except that making and selling contraband isn’t exactly what Mal envisioned listing as the extracurricular activity on their college application. A zine would be unofficial, unapproved, and <i>definitely </i>not in The Plan.<br> <br>But a zine is also a good way to spend more time with Emerson, whose playful banter and bad jokes Mal can’t seem to get enough of. And maybe, with a group of new friends, the back of the charming coffee shop where Emerson works could be somewhere Mal <i>does </i>belong. Because breaking the rules with Emerson—and flirting with her over coffee—is <i>fun</i>.<br> <br>Maybe The Plan isn’t the only way to find happiness, but can Mal let go of something they’ve depended on for so long?