Fall 2021: Wild Readers Group 5 discussion

500 Words or Less by Juleah del Rosario was an emotional read. Nic Chen is a senior in high school getting ready to graduate and go off to college. A big event occurs during the summer and she is left with a bad reputation. In order to have her classmates forget about that reputation, she begins to help them write admissions letters to Ivy-League schools. She also is learning how to navigate life after her mom walked out of her life. Her friends and letters she has written for classmates allow her to look at life from a different perspective.
This was my first time reading a verse novel and I found it all interesting. I felt that the writing was way more honest and there was so much more meaning to it, compared to a traditional novel. The words made so much sense, even if it was only a couple of them. I did not need a whole explanation of what was going on because I understood. I appreciated the main character Nic Chen and that the setting took place in high school. The problems she was facing in life were relatable. High school and being a teenager can be difficult because there are so many changes going on. She was able to overcome them and grow. They were problems that teenagers tend to face. For example; heartbreak, your first love, high school, family trauma, rumors, college, and friendships. She felt alone and misunderstood, she had no one to talk to. Nic turned to writing to allow her to cope, vent, and reflect on her problems.