One Word, Six Letters

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Author(s)

Adib Khorram

Publisher Name

Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

Genre(s)

Age Range

13+

Release Date

March 17, 2026

ISBN13

978-1250405555

ISBN10 or ASIN

Freshmen Dayton and Farshid couldn’t be more different―or so it seems.

When Dayton takes a dare and shouts the f-slur at a visiting author during a school event, it sets off a chain reaction that forces both boys to face parts of themselves they’d rather ignore.

Dayton, grappling with the fallout of his actions, faces rejection from his friends, disappointment from his parents, and a growing awareness of the harm he’s caused. Meanwhile, Farshid is left to untangle his own feelings―about himself and about the quiet struggle of coming to terms with his queerness in a world steeped in heteronormativity.

As their lives unexpectedly intersect, Dayton and Farshid must reckon with what kind of men they want to become and whether they have the courage to defy toxic masculinity and societal expectations.

Timely, raw, and deeply thought-provoking, this novel is perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds and Nic Stone.

Editor review

1 review

Thought-Provoking Novel

April 10, 2026 (Updated: June 23, 2026)

Overall rating

4.3

Writing Style

4.0

Plot

5.0

Characters

4.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

N/A

Dayton and Farshid are in their first year of high school and seem to be complete opposites. Dayton shouts the f-slur during a school event towards a visiting author which sets off events that make both him and Farshid look into things about themselves that they had been ignoring. Dayton is dealing with the fallout of one action, gets rejected from his friends, disappoints his parents, and is growing aware of the harm he has caused. Farshid is now facing his own feelings about himself and struggling to come to terms with his own sexuality.

What I Liked: At first this book has you questioning why we are getting Dayton’s perspective when he has just shouted the f-slur. Make sure to read past this first chapter because you’ll see exactly why this perspective was included. This book has many moments in which you will put the book down to digest what you just read. This dual point of view provides the reader with a glance into a complex situation where there is no easy answers or straight forward solution for the involved parties.

While Dayton will infuriate you because of his insistence that it’s only a word and that he has done enough to be forgiven, his progression through the story was significant because it allows readers to see the power that words have. It was intriguing to think about Dayton’s perspective and how things have a domino effect, and its heartwarming to see how allies banded together to show Dayton how wrong his one action was.

Farshid’s experience is compelling as he is struggling not just with his sexuality but also with societal expectations of him because of his racial background, and what he thinks men should look like. Being able to read through Farshid’s perspective allows you to be privy to his inner thoughts which are important as he untangles how he feels about various topics.

Final Verdict: Six Letters, One Word is a moving, thought-provoking book that highlights the complexity of defying toxic masculinity and societal expectations. This book is perfect for fans of Angie Thomas, Nic Stone, and Adib Khorram’s other books. This book will have young adults questioning the choices that they make and reexamining the effects of their actions and how their actions impact the broader population.