THE STICKY NOTE MANIFESTO OF AISHA AGARWAL

A senior’s fervent attempt to stretch her horizons reveals that some things just can’t be planned.

Aisha Agarwal, who’s attending Arledge Preparatory on a scholarship, always aims for the top—from the school of her dreams (Stanford) to the boy of her dreams (Brian Wu, co-valedictorian and former childhood friend). With Brian recently out of a relationship and maybe, finally, speaking to her again, the main thing still tugging at Aisha’s mind is a Stanford application prompt: “Share a time you left your comfort zone.” When a mix-up introduces Aisha to the beaming, laid-back Quentin Santos, a biracial (Italian/Filipino) tennis player from a neighboring public school, their ensuing friendship results in Aisha’s tutoring Quentin in exchange for his helping Aisha follow through on a list of beyond-her-comfort-zone experiences she wants to complete by graduation—things that she told herself she couldn’t do earlier due to her academic focus and the strictness of her Indian immigrant parents. Along the way, Aisha discovers that people, herself included, tend to be far less one-note than they might appear. With equal parts humor and gravity, the narrative tackles subjects such as self-acceptance, anxiety, differences in socio-economic status, and cultural and religious traditions (Aisha’s family is Hindu; Quentin’s is Catholic). A lovable cast of characters, laugh-out-loud scenes, and a slow-but-steady romance all make for a breezy yet earnest read.

A charming debut with real substance.