Ask Me How I Got Here

How do you define yourself? By your friends? Your family? Your boyfriend? Your grades? Your trophies? Your choices? By a single choice? From the author of the acclaimed Poisoned Apples comes a novel in verse about a young woman and the aftermath of a life-altering decision. Fans of Laurie Halse Anderson and Ellen Hopkins will find the powerful questions, the difficult truths, and the inner strength that speak to them in Ask Me How I Got Here.

Addie has always known what she was running toward, whether in cross country, in her all-girls Catholic school, or in love. Until she and her boyfriend-her sensitive, good-guy boyfriend-are careless one night, and she gets pregnant. Addie makes the difficult choice to have an abortion. And after that-even though she knows it was the right decision for her-nothing is the same. She doesn't want anyone besides her parents and her boyfriend to know what happened; she doesn't want to run cross country anymore; she can't bring herself to be excited about anything. Until she reconnects with Juliana, a former teammate who's going through her own dark places. Once again, Christine Heppermann writes with an unflinching honesty and a deep sensitivity about the complexities of being a teenager, being a woman. Her free verse poems are moving, provocative, and often full of wry humor and a sharp wit.

What happens when the one choice you know is right makes everything else feel wrong?

• Pro-Choice Novel: A raw and honest look at a teen girl's abortion, exploring the complex emotions that follow a choice she knows was right for her.
• Queer Identity: As her old life falls apart, Addie finds an unexpected, intense connection with Juliana, a former teammate who understands her in a way no one else can.
• Catholic School Setting: Addie navigates the pressures of faith, friendship, and secrets within the walls of her all-girls Catholic high school.
• Poetry for Teens: Told in stunning free verse, this story captures the sharp, witty, and deeply personal voice of a girl redefining her future on her own terms.