This is Not A Personal Statement
Written by Tracy Badua
Published by HarperCollins Publishers
At sixteen, Perla is the youngest graduating senior of the hypercompetitive Monte Verde High. Praised—and not-so-quietly bashed—as “Perfect Perlie Perez,” Perla knows all the late nights, social isolation, and crushing stress will be worth it when she gets into the college of her (and her parents’) dreams: Delmont University.
Then Perla doesn’t get in, and her meticulously planned future shatters. In a panic, she forges her own acceptance letter, and next thing she knows, she’s heading to Delmont for real, acceptance or not. Soon, Perla is breaking into dorm rooms, crashing classes, and dodging questions from new friends about her lack of a student ID. Her plan? Gather on-the-ground intel to beef up her application and reapply spring semester before she’s caught.
But as her guilty conscience grows and campus security looms large, Perla starts to wonder if her plan will really succeed—and if this dream she’s worked for her entire life is something she even wants.
Primary ISBN: 9780063217751
Publication Date: January 2023
Available As: Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook, eBook
Young Adult , Age 13 or older
Community Represented: Filipino/Filipino American
Themes: Coming of Age, Cross-Group Friendship, Family Relationship: Parents, Format: Audiobook, Generation: 1st, Own Voices/Lived Experience
Setting: United States (California)
Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: 1st Generation
Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience
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