If You Don't Have Anything Nice to Say: A Novel

First and foremost a young adult novel about public shaming in the internet age, If You Don’t Have Anything Nice to Say is also an exploration of the power of words, the cumulative destructiveness of microaggressions, and the pressing need for empathy.

Before we go any further, I want you to understand this: I am not a good person.

We all want to be seen. We all want to be heard. But what happens when we’re seen and heard saying or doing the wrong things?

When Winter Halperin―former spelling bee champion, aspiring writer, and daughter of a parenting expert―gets caught saying the wrong thing online, her life explodes. All across the world, people know what she’s done, and none of them will forgive her.

With her friends gone, her future plans cut short, and her identity in shambles, Winter is just trying to pick up the pieces without hurting anyone else. She knows she messed up, but does that mean it’s okay for people to send her hate mail and death threats? Did she deserve to lose all that she’s lost? And is “I’m sorry” ever good enough?

Decide for yourself.

Praise for If You Don't Have Anything Nice to Say:

"A nuanced approach to how the internet encourages the dehumanization of users gives this novel its realistic tone and serves as a strong warning to teens (and their parents)." ―Publishers Weekly

"[A] thoughtful coming-of-age story that underlines the power of empathy, community, and believing in one’s own capacity for positive change." ―The Horn Book