It's Not Bragging If It's True: How to Be Awesome at Life, from a Winner of the Scripps National Spelling Bee

by Zaila Avant-Garde, Marti Dumas (Primary Contributor)

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Kids will be inspired to embrace their inner weirdness and persevere through obstacles after reading this empowering collection of true stories from teenage Scripps National Spelling Bee champ and Guinness World Record holder Zaila Avant-garde! Includes 8 pages of never-before-seen photos.

After Zaila Avant-garde became the first African American student to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee in 2021, she turned into an overnight sensation. People wanted to know who she was and how she'd achieved so much while so young. 

In this nonfiction book, Zaila shares the personal anecdotes that have shaped her life and extends advice to readers on living authentically. While Zaila is an exceptional and inspiring young woman, she has fears and anxieties just like everyone else; what makes her remarkable is the way she chooses to move through the obstacles in front of her.

Zaila shares about her family, her accomplishments, her experience of being homeschooled, and so much more in order to motivate and uplift other kids who have small-, medium-, and even big-sized dreams.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Middle Grade, Biography Memoir, Biography, Childrens, Sports

160 pages, Paperback

Published May 7, 2024

Reviews

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute inspirational memoir about striving to do your best. I hope Zalia maintains that attitude as she ages.

[Libby · Rating 3 out of 5]

For ages 8 and above, maybe younger if reading with someone. I'm a grownup, and this was fun to read, inspiring, with a nice amount of personal anecdotes to keep things interesting. Zaila is a special person! The ideas and tips she shares about how she does things can help even us average Joes do better and be better.

[Courtney Cortez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y’all know I love reading people’s stories and while this is intended for a younger audience, it touched this old heart too. Be unique, be curious, pursue the things that mean the most to you. Don’t let the opinions of others get in your way. 💖

[Hilmg · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick paced advice book for young people from an energetic peer. She leans into achievements which are not easy but definitely possible. She is honest & charming, sharing antidotes that highlight complicated feelings & can-do strategies.

[JL Salty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: g
Recommend: meh. Maybe a jh kid looking for inspiration. I find these books don’t do very well on our shelves, they don’t get picked up.

I didn’t like the fourth wall breaking so much. The book kind of annoyed me, even though I’m sure zaila is a lovely person.

[Jennifer]

Quit at 5% because of the narrator.

[Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't remember how I came across this book but the title made me smile. I am unfamiliar with Avant-Garde, did not know she won the National Spelling Bee, etc. but I was curious what this young person could tell us about life and what she had to share with us. She won a Spelling Bee, so she should know something about being awesome at life.

It's a memoir/inspirational book clearly aimed at a younger audience. She talks about her life and family and the lessons she's learned. There is nothing extremely insightful (she is rather young) if you're an adult, but to a young person around Avant-Garde's age this would probably be a good and fun and relatable read.

There's not much more to it. There are also some nice pictures of herself and her family as is typical of memoirs but depending on what you're looking for, this might not really add anything to the book. Overall, I did like the overarching theme of being confident in yourself and what you can do, which can be a great help in life.

As an adult this did not really add much for me but this might make for a great book for younger audiences and it would make for a great addition to your local elementary school library or other place where you have younger readers. If you're out of the age range it might be a fun book to skim through but if you don't have much interest in her or the Spelling Bee (and that's not a huge focus here) then this is likely skippable.

I liked it, it was something different and a break from real life. Got this as a bargain book which was fine for me.

[Mariah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is technically an autobiography, but it is way more about self-help. It is to the point that it's almost not an autobiography.

To me an autobiography is primarily about the persons' life and any life lessons are implicit and/or sparse. While there are parts of Avant-Garde's life sprinkled throughout the driving force behind the book is clearly to give advice.

There are 9 chapters to reflect her 9 main ideas. Despite some cheesiness, I thought it towed the line well between preachy and forthright. It was positive without pulling its punches too much in regards to how difficult it can be to achieve your goals; encouraging yet not unrealistic.

I assume all autobiographies written by non-writers have a ghostwriter and in spite of that her voice still manages to shine through quite well. A major plus in my book is that it moves very quickly. I did not have time to become annoyed or begin to nitpick out of boredom.

I am supremely impressed by all that Zaila Avant-Garde has managed to do in such a short time. She's a credit not only to herself but to Black people everywhere. I love seeing Black people flourish and while it is way overdue for Scripps (wild to think about how overdue given how long Scripps has been an institution) I am delighted by this accomplishment for her regardless. Someone has to be the first, why not her?

If you're feeling a little down about systemic racism, I'd recommend giving this a read as a little pick me up - it's nice to be reminded of a win. Even if it's small in the grand scheme of things, they add up.

[Chandler Taylor · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a self-help guide for kiddos to find and hone their awesome. There are some good tips here, like looking out for others and not allowing self-consciousness to deter you from doing something you love. I liked the chapter about finding an enemy but not allowing that enemy to be a person because competing against a person just creates more animosity than motivation. Even still, I found this book insufferable. The title alone gave off the vibe that this was going to be a self-centered book - which as a kinda sorta biography, you'd expect. Maybe it's the repetition of "I hold two Guinness World Records" and "I didn't win the 2019 Scripps National Spelling Bee :(" that get to me. I just feel bad for whoever has to read her college entrance essays because I'm guessing they will be a lot like this book. She may be someone kids should admire for her accomplishments and dedication but this book does not leaving me walking away thinking, "man, this is someone I want to be like" and I was a spelling bee kid.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an enjoyable quick read from the ever-inspiring Zaila Avant-garde! Her advice to young readers is not necessarily groundbreaking, but I think it will ring truer to young readers than if the same advice was delivered by an adult. The combination of advice with evidence of how that advice has influenced her success was particularly effective, as was her conversational and funny writing style. Additionally, I think the length (57 digital pages) is perfect for young readers. I would recommend the book for ages 8+.

I was expecting it to be more of biography based on the description from the publisher, but it was more of an advice book. It definitely included true stories of Zaila, but the narrative was focused more on the advice for success and used those anecdotes to support those pieces of advice.

[Susie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a big fan of Zaila's ever since she won the Spelling Bee. Her commentary in a subsequent year made watching the bee much more enjoyable. I enjoyed her story about memorizing license plates without realizing it was a special ability. I feel like this book truly reflects her voice, and it would be great for upper elementary and middle school; a chapter could even be used for an advisory class. She gives great advice, and I think students would take it more seriously coming from her!
I actually wonder if she picked this title, because that makes her sound a little more smug than she is in the actual book.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zaila Avant Garde was the first African American to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee. She won in 2021. Avant Garde definitely had some challenges along the way. In her book she talks about those and gives readers words of encouragement and strategies to use to achieve their own goals. Avant Garde talks about her other interests and other achievements, using these stories and tips as both inspiration and examples to show how readers should not give up and how they can turn their dreams into actuality. A positive self help book with an engaging voice.

[Margaret Boling · Rating 4 out of 5]

10/15/2023 ~ An interesting compilation of 9 tips to "be awesome at life." A self-help/semi autobiography-ish book from the young woman who became the first African American to win the Scripps Spelling Bee (and who also happens to hold 2 Guinness World Records.) I don't think I'd find readers in my elementary school (though it might work as an upper elementary grade read aloud). This could find readers in middle and high schools.

[Wren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was enamored of Zaila Avant-Garde when I watched her win the Scripps Spelling Bee a few years ago. Then I assigned an anthology of sports writing to my first-year composition students (college level) that included an essay about Guinness World Record holders, and there was Avant-Garde again. So when I saw that she has a book of tips on "how to be awesome at life," I was eager to read it.

Avant-Garde gives nine tips for young people, one per chapter. She has a great style: clear, detailed, yet warm and accessible. Here are the tips:

1. Have Some Else's Back
2. Weird and Around
3. Dig Deep. Do You
4. Choose Your Opponent
5. Show Up and Show Out
6. Ask for Help
7. Make Friends with Chaos
8. Know When to Chill
9. Win

There is an Intro and an Outro as well, but the heart of the book is contained in those nine chapters / tips.

She tells a lot of stories about herself and her family, and it's very heartwarming to watch her grow and develop into the fabulous person that she is. I felt as though I spent an afternoon chatting with her, and I came out enriched from our time together.

[Educator · Rating 5 out of 5]

NetGalley ARC Educator 550974

For those who follow Ms. Avant-Garde they'll know she's a quiet and introspective person. In this book she shares more of herself, struggles and accomplishments. She has set goals and with hard work achieved great feats. She is a masterpiece and will continue to do great things. This book is great for kids and adults alike. Brava Ms. Avant-Garde, brava.

[Meigo Fitzpatrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the reference she made to One Punch man! The audio book was very enjoyable with Zaila reading it. She talked candidly about her passions and drive to improve herself everyday while helping her family. She stressed the importance of family and being a champion does not mean you have to win all your battles.

[Wade Huggins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zaila Avant Garde winner of the Scripps spelling Bee has written a kind of a self help book that is kind of also motivational and instructional. The chapters are divided into different topics for self improvement. This book will appeal to a 4-6 grade range with its timely phrases, pre-teen tips for success and reaching personal growth goals.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zaila is an all-around gem of a human. This book is quintessentially her. It's got humor, it's got wisdom, and it just has the perfect tone to share her thoughts with other kids. I adored Zaila as a Bee champ, and I've loved seeing all the neat stuff she's continued to do. This was just wonderful.

[Amy Haborak · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has gems for people of all ages about setting goals and being your best self. It gives good advice for establishing a growth mindset. It is written in a way most appropriate for kids but adults can appreciate the content.

[Angel]

Very inspiring book for all ages.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a compelling self-help book what that reads like a very energetic peptalk, and is inspiring for young and old alike.

[SVM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like this book, moral is do your best.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Interesting memoir from the 2021 Scripps Spelling Bee champion

[D.T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very cute! Some practical simple tips to have an awesome life. You can tell that Avant-Garde's parents really support her dreams and contribute to her strong sense of self.

[Kelsey Tibbit · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[MomofTeen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adore curious people. Therefore, I adore Zaila!

[Anne Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this was a really cute read. It is a good reminder to not always be focused on yourself and to remember to help those around you.

[Michaelanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wanna meet someone unique? Would recommend for tweens.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy read, a a good one for young people looking for inspiration and validation of their unique passions and fixations.

[Marci Mac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobooked this one. Even as an adult, I found it inspiring and motivational. Definitely going to get a copy for my nieces. The writing is simple but effective. It is made for a young audience, but a good read for any age.