Testimony from Your Perfect Girl
By Amanda Nojadera,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Slow coming-of-age tale has lots of swearing, sex, drinking.
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What's the Story?
In TESTIMONY FROM YOUR PERFECT GIRL, 16-year-old Annie Tripp's affluent lifestyle is upside down when her dad is accused of real estate fraud. Annie knows that her dad is innocent, but her parents think it's best if she and her older brother, Jay, live with their aunt and uncle in the "run-down" side of Breckenridge until the trial is over. As Annie starts to adjust to her new surroundings, family secrets begin to emerge, and she must decide how much of the truth should be revealed.
Is It Any Good?
Kaui Hart Hemmings doesn't shy away from edgy topics or teen angst in this dramatic yet slow-paced coming-of-age tale. Readers might find it difficult at first to sympathize with Annie, who comes across as rude, spoiled, and naive for the majority of Testimony from Your Perfect Girl, until she learns the truth about her so-called perfect life. Although the family secrets and plot twists are predictable, teens will see the importance of being yourself as Annie starts to define her own values and realizes that money can't buy happiness.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about all the family dysfunction in Testimony from Your Perfect Girl. Is it realistic or over the top? How does the issue of money affect the drama that unfolds? How difficult would it be for someone in your family to keep a life-altering secret?
Does the amount of strong language, sex, and drinking seem realistic to you? Do teens really talk that way, or do books, movies, and other media only make it seem like they do?
Are there any role models in the story? Who are they, and what are their character strengths?
Book Details
- Author: Kaui Hart Hemmings
- Genre: Contemporary Fiction
- Topics: High School
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
- Publication date: May 14, 2019
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 14 - 18
- Number of pages: 272
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: June 11, 2019
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