Surprises await a clever Black French Canadian teen when he’s forced to attend high school in Austin, Texas, in this hilarious contemporary YA novel.
William C. Morris YA Debut Award Winner!
A witty debut with whip-smart dialogue that will find much love among fans of authors like John Green and Jason Reynolds.
- SLJ (starred review) Meet Norris Kaplan. As a Black French Canadian who has been recently plunked into Austin, Texas, he is not happy. Norris’s superpower has always been the ability to wield a sharp comeback and keep people at a safe distance. He’ll do just his time there until he can finally go back home. Having grown up on a steady diet of American TV, Norris knows just what to expect when he starts at a prototypical American high school. Sure enough, he soon encounters: Aarti, the Manic Pixie Dream Girl: Preys on sexually inexperienced, awkward teen boys. Madison, the Beta Cheerleader: In the middle of cheerleading pyramid. “Good listener.” Liam, the Loner: Sad eyes. Headphones not necessarily playing anything. Hairy Armpits, the Bully: Improperly groomed linebacker. Missing Link understudy. Against all odds, though, he finds himself with a love interest, a new potential best friend, and what appears to be a budding ice hockey team. Will he give in and start living his life and maybe even (groan) enjoy it? Or will he blow it all by being . . . well, Norris? “With a perfect balance of snark, keen observation, and wry humor, Ben Phillippe has given us the brilliant Norris Kaplan - by far, the funniest, wittiest, smartest character I’ve ever read!” - Ibi Zoboi, author of American Street