Emma
by L. B. Tillit
Emma is pissed at the world. She has to be perfect, like her brother. But she won’t! She can’t be! Emma finds a reason to dislike most people. Yet, she is drawn to Blake, someone she used to hate. Without thinking it through she finds herself at the wrestling championship, hoping Blake feels the same way. But his world is very different from hers and she begins to wonder what she is doing. Her best friend, Billy, pushes Emma to look at why she makes bad choices. Emma refuses to listen to Billy and wrestles with a dark family secret as her anger spirals out of control.
Details
Lexile Level: HL570L
Interest Level: Young Adult
ISBN: 978-1-7352642-4-0
Real Raw & Honest
- Provides an Asian-American perspective
- Deals with anger and judgment
- Faces stereotyping and racism
- Embraces differences between cultures
- Addresses academic struggles
- Provides homelessness awareness
- Broadens viewpoints
“I appreciate the rich research you have done to bring the characters to life and remain authentic to their voices. I can see the impact it will make for teenagers who relate to Emma’s journey of navigating anger, identity, and relationships by speaking up for herself and learning to trust people that care about her. I also gained a better understanding of the struggle establishing self-affirming images of being Chinese American among the expectations and stereotypes.”
X.M. — Multilingual Program Specialist & Mandarin Teacher, South Carolina
The Way I See It Series
Ready for more raw, real stories about teen struggles? Discover the rest of The Way I See It series.
The Way I See It dives into the real struggles of teens at school, at home, and with each other. The stories are told through honest voices that feel just like yours. No fake drama—just real talk and real life. If you’re looking for stories that get what it’s like to be a teen today, this series is for you.
