Between the Lines Books in Order

Most readers know Jodi Picoult for her hard-hitting adult dramas, but the Between the Lines series offers something completely different. This Young Adult fantasy project was a unique collaboration between Picoult and her daughter, Samantha van Leer. The idea didn't come from the headlines, but from a daydream van Leer had in high school: what happens to the characters in a book when the reader closes the cover?

The story introduces us to Delilah, a high school student who feels like an outsider in her own life. She is lonely, a bit of a social outcast, and finds more comfort in the school library than in the cafeteria. Her life changes when she stumbles upon a children’s fairy tale in the stacks. She becomes obsessed with the book, particularly with the dashing protagonist, Prince Oliver.

But Oliver isn't just ink on paper.

In this universe, characters in books are essentially actors performing a script. Every time a reader opens the book, they rush to their places and play their parts. When the book is closed, they clock out. The villain might be best friends with the hero, and the mermaid might complain about her tail. Oliver, however, is having a crisis of conscience. He is tired of his scripted existence, tired of the repetitive plot, and desperate to see what the real world looks like.

When Delilah notices that the illustrations in the book seem to be changing—specifically for her—she realizes she can communicate with Oliver.

This kicks off a complicated, cross-dimensional romance. The series follows their attempts to bridge the impossible gap between fiction and reality. It isn't just about wishing a character into existence; it is about the mechanics of storytelling itself. Delilah and Oliver have to figure out how to manipulate the boundaries of the narrative without destroying the story for everyone else.

The narrative arc continues in the sequel, Off the Page, which deals with the messy aftermath of getting what you wish for.

While the first book focuses on the escape, the second explores the reality of a fairy tale prince trying to navigate a modern American high school. It turns out that understanding geometry and social cues is harder than slaying dragons. The authors use this premise to explore the difference between the idealized version of romance we read about and the complex, often difficult work of a real relationship.

The books are also visually distinct. They incorporate silhouettes, color illustrations, and marginalia to show the difference between Delilah’s world and Oliver’s storybook realm. It is a series that celebrates the power of reading, validating every person who has ever fallen in love with a fictional character and wished they could write their own ending.