Leah on the Offbeat

Following on from Becky Albertalli’s smash-hit Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, Leah on the Offbeat charts the dramas of Simon’s BFF Leah as she grapples with changing friendships, first love, and senior year angst. When it comes to drumming, Leah Burke is usually on beat - but real life isn't always so rhythmic. An anomaly in her friend group, she's the only child of a young, single mum, and her life is decidedly less privileged. And even though her mom knows she's bisexual, she hasn't mustered the courage to tell her friends - not even her openly gay BFF, Simon. So Leah really doesn't know what to do when her rock-solid friend group starts to fracture in unexpected ways… Becky Albertalli scored a slam-dunk hit with her YA debut Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, a novel that reaped praise toward its refreshingly positive and nuanced take on gay relationships. Its film adaptation Love, Simon basked in similar glory, securing Albertalli’s reputation as a key new voice in young people’s fiction.