Maria Petranelli is Prepared for Anything (Except This): Winner of the Ampersand Prize

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Elisa Resce

Maria Petranelli is Prepared for Anything (Except This)

Winner of the Ampersand Prize

Elisa Resce

$21.99

Paperback

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English

Hardie Grant Books
02 July 2024

Looking for Alibrandi meets Arrested Development in this YA screwball comedy about a student exchange gone hilariously, criminally wrong.

★ WINNER of the Ampersand Prize! ★

Maria Petranelli will do anything to get away from her overbearing Italian-Australian family. She’s over their constant heckling about getting a boyfriend, their unspoken belief that she’s not normal, and their loudly spoken belief that she’s incapable of doing, well, anything. So when her family declares she ‘couldn’t handle living in Italy’, Maria immediately signs up to go there on student exchange. What could possibly go wrong? Well, everything …

Despite months of mental preparation for every possible scenario, Maria is out of her depth in Italy. She struggles with the language, immediately gets scammed, and is bewildered by her growing attraction to Kennedy, the sweet-but-hopeless American exchange student who is determined to be her friend … if only Maria would let her.

When the two girls accidentally witness a crime, Maria discovers just what she can and can’t handle. Being kidnapped in the boot of a car and driven off into the Italian countryside? Maybe. But working out her feelings for Kennedy before it’s too late?

Maria Petranelli is prepared for anything … except this.

By: Elisa Resce
Imprint: Hardie Grant Books
Country of Publication: Australia
Dimensions: Height: 210mm, Width: 135mm,
ISBN: 9781761212451
ISBN 10: 1761212451
Pages: 304
Publication Date: 02 July 2024
Recommended Age: From 12 to 99 years
Audience: Young adult , Preschool (0-5)
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Elisa Chenoweth is a high school teacher from Adelaide. She writes queer stories that are funny, uplifting, and reflective of the cultures she grew up with. Her debut novel Maria Petranelli is Prepared for Anything (Except This) won Hardie Grant's Ampersand Prize and will publish in July 2024.

Reviews for Maria Petranelli is Prepared for Anything (Except This): Winner of the Ampersand Prize

'Awkward, funny and surprising, this student-exchange adventure in Italy gone terribly wrong is an entertaining romp with a gentle queer coming of age.' –Readings Books 'Hilarious look at a stubborn girl who is totally out of her depth, who gets into ridiculous situations, but is big hearted and has a highly engaging voice, and you just want something to eventually go right for her. You can’t help but loving Maria and her naivety ... A big-hearted, easy to read and sometimes unbelievable novel!' –Lamont