Obviously Stories from My Timeline

Akilah Hughes's "Obviously Stories from My Timeline" is a vibrant and witty coming-of-age memoir, perfect for young adults navigating their own paths. Through a collection of intimate and hilarious essays, Hughes shares her experiences growing up in a small Kentucky town, becoming a spelling bee champion, and eventually moving to New York City to chase her dreams of becoming a writer and performer. The book tackles relatable challenges such as body image, school life, family dynamics, and even confronting racism, all delivered with an unsentimental yet deeply engaging voice. Parents will appreciate its empowering message of resilience and self-discovery, making it a great read for teens aged 12-18.

"A refreshingly funny and blisteringly unsentimental coming-of-age memoir." --John Green, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Turtles All The Way Down and The Fault in Our Stars In Akilah Hughes's world, family--and life--are often complicated, but always funny. Through intimate and hilarious essays, Akilah takes readers along on her journey from the small Kentucky town where she was born--and eventually became a spelling bee champ and 15-year-old high school graduate--to New York City, where she took careful steps to fulfill her dream of becoming a writer and performer. Like Tiffany Haddish's The Last Black Unicorn or Mindy Kaling's Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? for the YA set, Akilah pens revealing and laugh-out-loud funny essays about her life, covering everything from her racist fifth grade teacher, her struggles with weight and acne, her failed attempts at joining the cheerleading team, how to literally get to New York (hint: for a girl on a budget, it may include multiple bus transfers) and exactly how to "make it" once you finally get there.