by Kiara Valdez
First published 2026
Kiara Valdez chronicles her freshman year at Phillips Academy Andover, where she stands out among wealthy white classmates with her financial aid laptop and lack of designer gear. The prestigious boarding school feels worlds away from her Washington Heights home. When Kiara joins SLAM, the competitive step team, she finally discovers where she belongs on campus. She pushes through demanding practices and physical exhaustion to earn her spot. But when tragedy affects her closest friends, Kiara confronts harsh realities about privilege and power at elite institutions. She watches wealthy students escape consequences while scholarship recipients face different standards. Valdez captures the complex emotions of seeking acceptance in spaces not designed for students like her. Through vibrant illustrations and honest storytelling, she explores whether fitting in is worth the cost and examines what true belonging means when the system works against you.
Genres: coming-of-age, autobiography, graphic-novels, young-adult, memoir, 21st-century
Vibes: emotionally-resonant, honest, intimate, introspective, thought-provoking
Tropes: coming-of-age, fish-out-of-water, found-family, overcoming-adversity
Setting: Phillips Academy Andover, Washington Heights
Period: Freshman year
240 pages · Paperback · HarperAlley
Content warnings: death, racism