500 Words or Less

A YALSA 2020 Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
"Compelling." --School Library Journal
"Moving." --Publishers Weekly
"Poignant." --Kirkus Reviews

A high school senior attempts to salvage her reputation among her Ivy League-obsessed classmates by writing their college admissions essays and in the process learns big truths about herself in this mesmerizing debut novel-in-verse, perfect for fans of Gayle Forman and Elizabeth Acevedo.

Nic Chen refuses to spend her senior year branded as the girl who cheated on her charismatic and lovable boyfriend. To redefine her reputation among her Ivy League-obsessed classmates, Nic begins writing their college admissions essays.

But the more essays Nic writes for other people, the less sure she becomes of herself, the kind of person she is, and whether her moral compass even points north anymore.

Provocative, brilliant, and achingly honest, 500 Words or Less explores the heartbreak and hope that marks the search for your truest self.

Author: Juleah del Rosario
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Published: 09/25/2018
Pages: 384
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.00lbs
Size: 8.50h x 5.80w x 1.20d
ISBN: 9781534410442
Age Range: 13-17

Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 06/25/2018
School Library Journal 07/01/2018 pg. 71
Kirkus Reviews 07/01/2018
Booklist 07/01/2018 pg. 50
Voice of Youth Advocates 10/01/2018 - Recommended - Readable
Hornbook Guide to Children 01/01/2019 - Recommended, Satisfactory