And Other Mistakes

A teenage girl deals with insecurities, a stressful family life, tension with friends, and being on the cross-country team, in And Other Mistakes--a debut Young Adult coming-of-age novel by Erika Turner about accepting one's self

Aaliyah's home life has never been great, but she thought she'd survive her last years of high school with at least her friendships and cross-country stardom intact. That is, until junior year struck: she got outed by a church elder and everything came undone -- including Aaliyah.

Except... well, with new friends, old flames, nosy school counselors, and teammates who don't trust her yet, the route already feels rough. And what's with the new girl, Tessa, who gives Aaliyah butterflies every time she looks at her? Regardless, everything is fine. She'll be fine. Because this is the year to prove to everyone--and most of all, herself--that she's more than her mistakes. After all, even Aaliyah can't outrun everything.

Erika Turner is a writer, a poet, and the daughter of storytellers. Sometimes, she writes songs she may one day share. Once, in a Brooklyn community center, she read James Baldwin's quote "You can't tell the children there's no hope," and she carries those words from the city to the desert and beyond. She lives in California with her family and a dog who is suspicious of stationary street objects. And Other Mistakes is her debut novel.

• Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (February 14, 2023)
• Language: English
• Hardcover: 320 pages
• ISBN-10: 1250834848
• ISBN-13: 9781250834843
• Reading age: 14 - 18 years
• Grade level: 10 - 12
• Item Weight: 1 pound
• Dimensions: 5.38 x 0.75 x 8.25 inches