Simone Breaks All the Rules - Hardcover

Rigaud, Debbie

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1338681729 ISBN 13: 9781338681727

Publisher: Scholastic Press, 2021

Synopsis

Perfect for fans of You Should See Me in a Crown and Never Have I Ever, this hilarious and heartfelt rom-com from bestselling author Debbie Rigaud is pure Black girl joy.

Simone Thibodeaux is about to switch things up.

Check her life: It’s sealed in a boy-proof container. Her Haitian immigrant parents send Simone to an all-girls high school and enforce strict no-dating rules. As for prom? Simone is allowed to go on one condition: Her parents will select her date (a boy from a nice, Haitian immigrant family, obviously).

Simone is desperate to avoid the setup -- especially since she has a serious crush on another boy. It's time to take action. Simone and her fellow late-bloomer friends make a senior year bucket list of all the wild things they haven't done yet. Like: going out dancing, skipping class (what), and oh yeah -- deciding their own prom destinies.

But as the list takes on a life of its own, things get much messier than Simone expected. Can she figure out which rules are worth breaking and which might save her from heartbreak?

About this title

About the Author

DEBBIE RIGAUD is the coauthor of the bestselling novel Best Wishes: The Sister Switch, the coauthor of Alyssa Milano’s New York Times bestselling Hope series, and the author of Simone Breaks All the Rules and Truly Madly Royally. She grew up in East Orange, New Jersey, and started her career writing for entertainment and teen magazines. Her adult romance debut License to Thrill is coming out in July 2026. She now lives with her husband and children in Columbus, Ohio. Find out more at debbierigaud.com.

Reviews

Gr 6 Up—High school senior Simone Thibodeaux has always played by her parents' rules—whether she wanted to or not. With a perfect older sister not offering much help rebellion-wise, and as graduation—and more importantly, prom—looms, Simone joins with two friends with similarly strict parents and the trio composes a senior year bucket list to help them finally let loose. From cutting class to clubbing, these New Jersey teens bond over their families' loving but tight holds. Simone's main obsession—getting a prom date—eclipses her other plans as she attempts to avoid the (admittedly cute) setup her mom has arranged. This romp through New Jersey is a lighthearted peek into Haitian American life, as Simone deals with her protective mother and the rest of her family, all well-drawn, nuanced, multidimensional characters. In particular, Simone's dynamic with her mother and sister crackles with realism, humor, and affection. Some of the back-and-forth of prom date switches slows down the plot, but ultimately teens will enjoy this fun family story. VERDICT Fans of Jenny Han and Brandy Colbert will find much to cheer about in this entertaining and charming novel.—Elissa Bongiorno, Washington, DC

Edition details

• Publisher: Scholastic Press
• Publication date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1338681729
• ISBN 13: 9781338681727
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 320