I Am Not Jessica Chen

Gr 9 Up–Jenna Chen has never been the best, or the brightest. Much to her parents’ disappointment, she has been entirely average—living in the shadow of her beautiful, talented, and perfect cousin Jessica. When college admissions letters start pouring in, it’s no surprise that Jessica gets in to all the Ivy Leagues and Jenna does not. Feeling defeated (and just a little jealous), Jenna makes a wish on a shooting star—that she could change places with her cousin and finally have the perfect life she desires. What follows is a creative twist on the classic Freaky Friday trope. Jenna wakes up in Jessica’s body, and she has to navigate her new life, while trying to figure out why the more time passes, the more the memory of her old life seems to fade—as if she never existed at all. This is a poignant exploration of what it means to be uniquely “you” and the struggles of wanting what you don’t have. The supporting characters are diverse and uniquely flawed, adding depth to Jenna’s character and propelling the story with its relatability.