According to Plan

From USA TODAY 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 Heartstopper, Felix Ever After, and Julie Murphy.

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.

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 definitely not in The Plan.

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 does belong. Because breaking the rules with Emerson–and flirting with her over coffee–is fun.

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?

Author: Christen Randall
Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Published: 02/03/2026
Pages: 416
Size: 8.25h x 5.50w x 0.83d
ISBN: 9781665939843
Language: English