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Parents' Guide to

Not the Girls You're Looking For

By Nayanika Kapoor, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Half-Iraqi teen finds her way in scattered coming-of-ager.

Not the Girls You're Looking For Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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Is It Any Good?

Our review:
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Kids say (1 ):

Through the flawed, vulnerable character of Lulu, this coming-of-age story offers an authentic perspective on what it's like to feel caught between two cultures and not fully a part of either one. Lulu's experience as a biracial Muslim can be relatable for teens who've ever felt isolated because of their ethnicity, and having her as the narrator gives readers an honest glimpse of the discrimination that Muslim Americans face. Teens may find themselves relating to parts of Lulu, but the plot is all over the place, with no clear direction at times, and some of the characters are underdeveloped.

Lulu is a confusing character, and there are a lot of things that may disappoint readers about her and her trash-talking girlfriends. While her group of friends is very close and they stand up for one another, they also put one another down quite a lot, for no apparent reason. James and Lulu's romance is very cute and playful, and teens will root for them to end up together.

Book Details

  • Author: Aminah Mae Safi
  • Genre: Coming of Age
  • Topics: Friendship , High School
  • Book type: Fiction
  • Publisher: Macmillan
  • Publication date: June 19, 2018
  • Publisher's recommended age(s): 13 - 18
  • Number of pages: 327
  • Available on: Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
  • Last updated: April 8, 2020

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