Book Review: Good Enough
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What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that there is little to be concerned
about in this book. Patty and her family face some racism, but
in the end, she is able to confront a character. Even Patty's
rebellious behavior is pretty mild: She sneaks out of a church
lock-in to go to a concert with her crush, and later in the
book, she yells at her parents (and tells readers that this was
the first time she had ever "raised my voice" to them. We
should all be so lucky!).
Families can talk about the pressures facing teens today, especially around getting into colleges. Do parents put too much pressure on their kids to be the best at everything? You could check in with your teen: How much stress are you feeling to succeed -- in school and in other activities? Do you ever feel like you are juggling too much?
Common Sense Media Review
The story takes a pretty predictable path: A nerdy girl
learns to stop letting her parents dictate her life and becomes
her own person. What's special about the story is that
protagonist Patty is a really believable character, unlike a
lot of today's young adult narrators who are described as
pretty, rich, and ruthless. Patty really loves both the violin
and academics, she loves her parents, and even the kids in her
church group -- and when she finally tells her crush, Ben, her
true feelings, he tells her he only likes her as "a
friend."
Her transformation into a girl who can stand up for herself is equally convincing. Readers will know that she has spunk all the time by her self-deprecating humor and the chapter interludes, such as "Top Ten Ways to Avoid Ben Wheeler at School" or "How to Make Your Korean Parents Happy, Part 4." Readers will appreciate Patty's brave confrontation with her parents, even if it comes at an unlikely moment (right before an important concert performance).
Maybe the book will end too neatly for some, but students -- especially overachievers like Patty -- will appreciate her gradual understanding that she has "all the time in the world" to compose a life she loves.
Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information to help parents make media and entertainment choices for their families.
