Good Enough

Paula Yoo scores big in a hilarious YA coming of age novel about an overachiever who longs to fit in and strives to stand out. The pressure is on!

How to make your Korean parents happy:

1. Get a perfect score on the SATs.
2. Get into HarvardYalePrinceton.
3. Don’t talk to boys.*

Patti’s parents expect nothing less than the best from their Korean-American daughter. In this story of intense academic pressure, everything she does affects her chances of getting into an Ivy League school. So winning assistant concertmaster in her All-State violin competition and earning less than 2300 on her SATs is simply not good enough.

But Patti’s discovering that there’s more to life than the Ivy League. To start with, there’s a first crush on Cute Trumpet Guy. He’s funny, he’s talented, and he looks exactly like the lead singer of Patti’s favorite band. Then, of course, there’s her love of the violin. Not to mention cool rock concerts. And anyway, what if Patti doesn’t want to go to HarvardYalePrinceton after all?

*Boys will distract you from your studies.

• Funny YA Books: Follow Patti’s hilarious and painfully relatable lists on how to please her parents—and what happens when she starts breaking all the rules.
• Korean American Protagonist: A heartfelt and witty look at the life of an ambitious Korean-American teen navigating the immense pressure to be the "Perfect Korean Daughter."
• High School Romance: He's the Cute Trumpet Guy who plays in rock bands; she's the classical violinist who’s not supposed to talk to boys.
• Overachiever Protagonist: For a girl who's a concert-level violinist and valedictorian contender, Patti Yoon still has to figure out what it means to be good enough for herself.

Getting 100 % on the SATs, or getting a date with a cute trumpet player?

Scoring top honors in youth orchestra, or scoring tickets to a punk rock concert?

Following your parents' dreams to an Ivy league college, or following your heart?

It's senior year, and Patti Yoon is about to find out what it really takes to be good enough!

“Patti’s convincing narration [is] filled with laugh-out-loud lines, but it’s the deeper questions about growing up with immigrant parents, confronting racism, and how best to find success and happiness that will stay with readers.” - ALA Booklist

“Teens living through the pressure of college applications and questioning their futures will sympathize with Patti in this enjoyable, funny but not superficial read.” - Kirkus Reviews

“Yoo will have teens wondering if Patti can ever measure up, and how she will survive the pressure and heartbreak of her senior year. Short chapters, the teen’s funny occasional SAT tips, and her top-10 lists make this a good options for reluctant readers.— - School Library Journal

“Caught between cultures, Patti must also learn to navigate her own dreams and aspirations alongside the expectations of others. The author reflects on the hard lessons of adolescence—maneuvering between childhood and adulthood and developing a sense of self—with humor and authenticity.” - KLIATT

“A funny story that will hit home for many readers.” - Publishers Weekly