Good Enough
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Price:
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$16.99
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On Sale:
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2/5/2008
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Formats:
Hardcover | Library | E-Book
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How to make your Korean parents happy:
1. Get a perfect score on the SATs.
2. Get into HarvardYalePrinceton.
3. Don't talk to boys.*
Patti's parents expect nothing less than the best from their Korean-American daughter. Everything she does affects her chances of getting into an Ivy League school. So winning assistant concertmaster in her All-State violin competition and earning less than 2300 on her SATs is simply not good enough.
But Patti's discovering that there's more to life than the Ivy League. To start with, there's Cute Trumpet Guy. He's funny, he's talented, and he looks exactly like the lead singer of Patti's favorite band. Then, of course, there's her love of the violin. Not to mention cool rock concerts. And anyway, what if Patti doesn't want to go to HarvardYalePrinceton after all?
Paula Yoo scores big in her hilarious debut novel about an overachiever who longs to fit in and strives to stand out. The pressure is on!
*Boys will distract you from your studies.
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Author Extras
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Awards for Good Enough |
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New York Public Library Stuff for the Teen Age
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Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choice
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New York Public Library Stuff for the Teen Age
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Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choice
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Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choice
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Critical Praise for
Good Enough
“A funny story that will hit home for many readers.”
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Publishers Weekly
“Patti’s convincing narration [is] filled with laugh-out-loud lines, but it’s the deeper questions about growing up with immigrant parents, confronting racism, and how best to find success and happiness that will stay with readers.”
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ALA Booklist
“Teens living through the pressure of college applications and questioning their futures will sympathize with Patti in this enjoyable, funny but not superficial read.”
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Kirkus Reviews
“Yoo will have teens wondering if Patti can ever measure up, and how she will survive the pressure and heartbreak of her senior year. Short chapters, the teen’s funny occasional SAT tips, and her top-10 lists make this a good options for reluctant readers.—
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School Library Journal
“Caught between cultures, Patti must also learn to navigate her own dreams and aspirations alongside the expectations of others. The author reflects on the hard lessons of adolescence—maneuvering between childhood and adulthood and developing a sense of self—with humor and authenticity.”
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KLIATT
Reader Reviews from First Look
Patti Yoo is an average Korean American teenager with overpowering parents and a gift for music. This amusing book would be great for the nerd-at-heart, the musician, or even the romantic. While not action-packed or thrilling, this book would make a great addition to your library if you're searching for some good natured fun.
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Juliana (Greensboro, NC)
Patti Yoo is an average Korean American teenager with overpowering parents and a gift for music. This amusing book would be great for the nerd-at-heart, the musician, or even the romantic. While not action-packed or thrilling, this book would make a great addition to your library if you're searching for some good natured fun.
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Juliana (Greensboro, NC)
Paula Yoo captures the struggle of a sweet, witty, high school girl who only wants to please her parents. While Patti's obedience is commendable—with a full load of AP classes, impeccable test scores, and her college "hook" of violin playing—readers can see that Patti's happiness takes a backseat to making her parents proud. A lot of overachieving high school students are in the same position as Patti, and I think Good Enough gives readers some perspective on what is really important in life. What's the point of being the best if you are not happy with what you do? Living life with a passion is much more important that being able to brag that you were accepted into “HarvardYalePrinceton”. Patti really grows up over the course of the book, and I am so happy to see her finally stand up for herself and live her life on her own terms.
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Amber (Naperville, IL)
Good Enough by Paula Yoo is one of the best young adult fiction books I've read in a long time. Yoo's clear and enjoyable writing combines a mixture of the mathematics, music, and Korean traditions which define who the main character, Patti Yoon, really is. One doesn't have to be Korean (I am not), nor play the violin (I cannot) or understand complicated mathematical equations (of which I certainly do not) to feel empathy for Patti as she struggles to find her own sense of self apart from her peers and her parents. Yoo's story starts at the turning point in Patti's life where the socially awkward, but incredibly talented violinist must make realistic choices about her future and in the process discovers who she really is. My favorite aspect of Patti's character was how at the beginning of the story, she hides her love for the fictional British boy band, Jet Pack. Later, even after Patti has discovered retro-punk music, she still doesn't stop liking Jet Pack. I think its one way Yoo shows that although Patti might grow and accept outside influences, there are certain elements of her character that will always be with her. Good Enough wasn't a teen fairy tale where the ugly duckling turns into a swan and marries the prince. It was better than that—it was a story where the ugly duckling discovers she doesn't need to hide who she really is from anyone in her life. And that is what will make her beautiful in the end.
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Jessica (Buffalo, NY)
This book was excellent. It describes another side of a family, like the Koreans. They always want their kids to be the best, just like Patti in the book. Patti plays the violin and is very talented at it and wants to apply to Julliard. However, he parents strive for her to apply to all of the Ivy Leagues. She feels that she is never good enough for her parents and thinks maybe for a change that she wants to do something that makes her happy. This is a very powerful book and sends a good message to kids saying that whatever decisions you make, it should come from your heart.
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Lisa (Chicago, IL)
Good Enough is a great book. It's about an average teenage girl with a not so average life. She has to go through all the struggles in a girl's life plus some added on that aren't so average. I think this is a great book that everyone should read.
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Emily (Forked River, NJ)
Good Enough is by far one of the best books I've read all year. The main character, Patti Yoon, is immediately likeable, reliable and a fresh voice in teen lit. Paula Yoo writes with a witty, fun voice and I love seeing a smart girl triumph! I look forward to Yoo's next book.
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Jessica (Tallahassee, FL)
This book was very easy to relate to! The main character, Patti, was very realistic and had very realistic problems. The recipes in the book added another touch of realism, which was very nice. I would recommend to any high school person who thinks he or she has too much on their plate!
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Kylie (Superior, CO)
Good Enough is a wonderful novel highlighting the teenaged Asian American experience. Patti's struggles to balance her parents' expectations, her first love, and her love of music will resonate with anyone who's ever been torn between what's safe and what you truly want.
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Vernieda (Springfield, VA)
The minute I read the back of Good Enough, I pushed away my other books and started it. It ended up being the first book in months that I read in one sitting. Maybe the thing about this book that kept me so intrigued was how closely I related to this book. From the bragging parents, to the tiring Chinese cuisine each night, to the pressure to succeed, to playing the violin, to my parents' disapproval in dating, etc. I appreciate so much the reality of Patti's life. She seems so real—every thought that goes through her mind, every revelation. The way that Paula Yoo wrote this book makes me feel like Patti is me, for a little while. It was written so accurately from a Korean teenager's point of view that you can't help but believe that a little part of a real Patti is somewhere hiding between the covers. On top of all that, the humor in the book is subtle but achingly funny, and the hole that she digs for herself is as deep as can be. Now, my brain is exhausted from reading for so long, but if a sequel suddenly popped up beside me, I'd toss everything else aside and dive in.
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CHARLOTTE (HOOVER, AL)
I loved this book, and after I read it I re-read it a few more times. It is wound with humor, romance, teen angst and a great story line. Fans of "Gilmore Girls" would love this book because Patti reminds readers so much of Lane Kim. I would recommend this book to anyone, violinists, romantics or people who just want a good laugh.
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Carly (St. Petersburg, FL)
Though I expected this book to be a traditional teen angst story, I was surprisingly pleased to find this charming story about a teen just trying to balance who her parents want her to be with her own dreams. Patti is passionate about the violin, but her parents see it as an "in", something to study until she gets into an Ivy League school. After that, the violin is no longer important to them. However, it's everything to Patti, and she wants to at least consider Juilliard as an option. Of course, she can't tell her parents that. They've made so many sacrifices for her already. She can't appear ungrateful. At the same time, Patti has found a guy who shares her passion for music and likes to jam with her. She never expected to be noticed by such a perfect specimen, and yet he seems to seek her out. Should she tell him how she really feels? Between balancing the pressures put on her by her parents, her Korean church, and herself, Patti manages to endear herself to the readers. Yoo's multi-genre approach to storytelling (she weaves recipes and lists into her narrative) adds to this delightful book. Young adults are going to love this one. I sure did.
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Melinda (Duluth, GA)
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