by Lindsay Totty

From the Sloppy Firsts book series by Megan McCafferty
Nominated by Izumi Suzuki

Jessica Darling might not be the most famous American icon. In fact, her name may only resonate with teenage girls like me, who enjoy this series and its relatable, imperfect heroine. Jessica is your average 17-year-old, dealing with awkward growing pains and everyday struggles with as much dry humor as possible.

 

An outsider and an insider, she tries to maintain the tricky balance between individualism and her family's and peers' approval — something any adolescent has experienced.

Jessica questions the degrading integrity of her generation and whether she has fallen victim to this less personal, more material culture — the same issues I worry about myself. She is outspoken, crude, strange, and often flawed, perfectly capturing the essence of the teenage spirit.