Alyssa Sheinmel

What Kind of Girl

The girls at North Bay Academy are taking sides.

It all started when Mike Parker’s girlfriend showed up with a bruise on her face. Or, more specifically, when she walked into the principal’s office and said Mike hit her. But her classmates have questions. Why did she go to the principal and not the police? Why did she stay with Mike if he was hurting her? Obviously, if it’s true, Mike should face the consequences. But is it true?

Some girls want to rally for his expulsion—and some want to rally around Mike. Rumors about what really happened spread. The only thing the entire student body can agree on? Someone is lying.

What Kind of Girl is an unflinching exploration of the labels society puts on girls and women—and the strength it takes to rise above it all to claim your worth and declare your truth.

Praise for What Kind of Girl

Both timely and timeless, What Kind of Girl is a powerful exploration of abuse in its many forms, as well as the strength it takes to rise up and speak your truth. Alyssa Sheinmel has crafted a compelling, moving, and empowering story of hope and courage—one that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.
— Amber Smith, New York Times bestselling author of The Way I Used to Be, The Last to Let Go, and Something Like Gravity

What Kind of Girl by Alyssa Sheinmel slayed me.  It suspended me in a painful, powerful liminal space between surprise and bone-deep knowing, between utter shock and inexorable truth.
— Gilly Segal, co-author of the bestselling I’m Not Dying With You Tonight

Important, raw, timely and ultimately hopeful, Sheinmel’s What Kind of Girl demands readers discuss the trauma of teen dating violence and how girls are so often taught—even expected—to internalize their victimization.
— Shannon M. Parker, author of The Girl Who Fell and The Rattled Bones

I immediately saw myself in this book, which so thoroughly explains the thought process when coming to terms with victimhood and survivorship. I felt understood—What Kind of Girl is my new best friend.
— Chessy Prout, author of I Have the Right To

A rallying cry.
— Booklist

Spellbinding.
— Bitch Media

A must-read for young adults… The entire time I read this novel my heart was pounding and I could not put it down. 5/5.
— Affinity Magazine

Inspiring…What Kind of Girl bears testament to the resilience of teenagers’ spirits and the galvanizing power of friendship.
— Foreword Reviews

Fans of Jennifer Mathieu’s Moxie and Kathleen Glasgow’s Girl in Pieces will enjoy this multiple points-of-view novel for the highly relevant subject matter, including domestic violence, self-harm, eating disorders, and mental illness. Recommended for purchase for its diverse characters and timely topics.
— School Library Journal

Nuanced and compelling…A poignant, thought-provoking novel that will resonate deeply.
— Kirkus Reviews

This hard-hitting novel about social norms and mental health expresses the importance of honesty and self-advocacy.
— Publishers Weekly

Ingenious…Sheinmel brilliantly dramatizes the pupils’ attempts to create a system of morality for themselves, rather than simply accepting the one handed down by authority.
— Financial Times

This book is powerful and would definitely make a great addition to any high school library or classroom. It would also be perfect for high school counselors to use as a book study for both students and staff in support of social and emotional learning standards.
— School Library Connection

An immensely satisfying book from a skilled author.
— The Irish Times

An empowering novel which advocates honesty, self-belief and the value of friendship. It will resonate deeply and provoke valuable discussion of important real-life issues.
— LoveReading

What Kind of Girl is worth a read, definitely in this day and age…this is the one we think everyone should read and put the book on their to-read list.
— Hypable

A thought-provoking exploration of the hurts and hardships that young women suffer.
— Culturefly

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