Part of Scholastic’s WISH line of “fun, engaging, books for kids 8-12 centered on family and friendship,” this novel explores social pressures, Internet culture, and a first crush. Middle schooler Nova doesn’t lie; rather, she tells “hopes for the future,” like saying she got an A in math, not a B, or saying she’s older than she is in order to sign up for an Instagram account. She’s not trying to be bad; she just wants to please her mother and to fit in with her peers.
When a video of her cat goes viral, bringing interest from the popular crowd at school, Nova continues her “hopes for the future” in order to fit in and to impress her crush, Lily. But her tales soon pile up beyond what she can control. Can she a way back to what’s true about herself?
Readers who enjoyed this book may also like author Jazz Taylor’s first two cat-themed books for the WISH line, Meow or Never and Starting from Scratch.
