Going Overboard
Caroline Huntoon
Feiwel & Friends
Published May 27, 2025
Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads
About Going Overboard
From author Caroline Huntoon comes a sparkling new middle grade novel, Going Overboard, a reverse-Parent Trap story where tweens Piper and Colton must force their parents to break up, or their lives will change forever.
Piper Shapiro has the best mom in the world: Noura, a single parent by choice who always has a plan, whether it’s for a spontaneous Saturday adventure or helping Piper navigate middle school as a nonbinary kid. They’re a package deal, and they tell each other everything. At least, they used to. But then Noura invites Piper out to dinner with her girlfriend Gwinny… and Gwinny’s son, Colton—a boy Piper knows, and doesn’t exactly get along with. Piper panics when the realization Noura and Gwinny are serious about each other. Suddenly, Piper’s life as half of a duo has an expiration date, and ze is horrified.
To put a stop to any potential wedding bells, Piper makes a plan to break up the parents and keep things the way they are—the way they should be. When Gwinny surprises everyone with a getting-to-know-each-other cruise for spring break, Piper’s game is on—and Colton is in on it. The two of them work hard to make it clear that they are not one big happy family, even though it turns out that Colton might not be so bad after all. But when things with Operation Break Up go a bit too far, Piper starts to question everything… and realize that maybe a little change isn’t a bad thing.
My Review
I read Linus and Etta Could Use a Win, another book by Caroline Huntoon, earlier this year, so when I saw a review copy of this one up for grabs, I jumped at the chance to read it. Going Overboard is the first novel I’ve read in which the main character uses neopronouns. Piper uses the nonbinary pronouns ze/zir/zem. Piper’s pronouns don’t come up as often as you’d think in the story. At one point, a salesperson in a store misgenders zem, but someone immediately corrects the clerk, and she switches to the correct pronouns. Piper’s pronouns simply aren’t the focus of the narrative beyond the support that Piper feels from zir mom and others around zem.
The real focus of the story is the attempt to break up Piper’s mom and her girlfriend, Colton’s mom. The narrative does a great job showcasing the shift in Piper’s feelings about the relationship despite the commitment to the breakup project. While Piper is certain Colton is a jerk and Gwinny is too perky, ze begins to see qualities ze enjoys and admires in both of them.
The cruise creates a close-proximity environment in which Piper really only has Colton to talk to, and an artificial deadline (return to port) in which to accomplish zir mission. Both of those things drive the story forward and keep the narrative from drifting too far from the central plot.
Piper and zir mom’s relationship is really sweet. I think it borders on maybe too enmeshed at some points, but I loved seeing a mom of a middle schooler so engaged and supportive.
Going Overboard feels like the perfect read for someone needing a slightly aged-up Alex Gino book.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 9 to 12.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used very infrequently (twice, I think).
Romance/Sexual Content
Reference to Piper’s best friend’s crush on someone. Colton also has a crush on someone.
Spiritual Content
None.
Violent Content
A group of older kids make fun of Piper and Colton, who are dressed similarly at the dance.
Drug Content
Adults drink alcohol socially on a vacation.
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