An American Girl

by Richard Fellinger

Emma’s life wasn’t supposed to be like this. She was a high school valedictorian, then a Princeton grad, now an English professor—and so what if she’s just an adjunct? But her marriage has blown up and she’s moved home with her son to Pennsylvania, where things have changed. Her mom has died and her dad’s living in a tent with dementia. And her son Thomas, whose dad is Pakistani, doesn’t fit in. When Emma’s asked to help create a list of diverse books for their school district, her life intersects with memorable local characters. She dates the college baseball coach, a lifelong underachiever whose older brother is the firebrand school board president; she befriends the one sensible school board member whose lesbian daughter is struggling to come out; she endures the lonely school principal who might have a crush on her; and she encounters the young local reporter who gets thrust into a national news story: The school board has banned the books she helped select. But Emma and her newfound allies are determined to fight the ban.

280 pages, Paperback

Published July 2, 2025

About the author

Richard Fellinger is an award-winning author, a college writing instructor, and former journalist. His novel An American Girl (Serving House Books, 2025) won the inaugural Thomas E. Kennedy Novel Award. His novel, Summer of ’85 (TouchPoint Press, 2021), was a finalist for the American Fiction Award, a distinguished favorite for the NYC Big Book Award, and winner of the Seven Hills Review Novel Excerpt Contest. He is also the author of the story collection They Hover Over Us (Snake Nation Press, 2012), winner of the Serena McDonald Kennedy Award, and the novel Made To Break Your Heart (Open Books, 2017). His fiction has also earned a Pushcart Prize nomination and won the Flash Fiction Contest at Red Cedar Review. His work has also appeared in Newsweek, Epiphany, Potomac Review, and PANK, among others. He teaches writing at Elizabethtown College and Drexel University and lives with his wife in Harrisburg, Pa.

Reviews

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this book in just four days and now feel a real sense of loss that it’s over. While I went in knowing the general premise from the synopsis, the story ended up being so much more layered and affecting than I expected.

The central issue it tackles is something my own school district is currently facing—though on a smaller scale—and reading this felt incredibly timely and personal. It helped me put into words emotions and concerns I've been carrying, and it reignited a fire in me to stay engaged and speak out.

The characters were vivid and well-developed—I truly feel like I’m saying goodbye to people I knew. One thing I’ll add (not a spoiler): I really appreciated the portrayal of the Teresa character. Even though she wasn’t a major player, she made my hometown proud. That small detail meant a lot.

I’ll be thinking about this book—and the people in it—for a long time.

[Tracie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An American Girl is a truly impactful novel that centers on the life of a single mother and her Pakistani son navigating a small central PA town. The characters are well developed and believable. The plot tackles the relevant issue of a book ban and lack of diversity in schools. The book is filled with great discussion points that would be great for book clubs. I highly recommend this thought-provoking story that truly resonates with the struggles many communities face today.

[Abbey Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book for class, and it was great! Lots of important topics, and I did not get bored reading it. A great recommendation to anyone, especially those who might have a hard time understanding these topics. Loved Clarissa.

[Serving House Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kennedy Novel Award Winner! A single mom who is an adjunct English instructor Contemporary issues of book bans and racial discrimination are explored in this fast moving read.

[William Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

An American Girl is a must read novel of 2025. Richard Fellinger digs into a serious threat to our first amendment right and uses a likable character to tell an entertaining story. Emma is a strong protagonist who returns home to PA; she is contrasted with the typical small town bigots she encounters. She bonds with several others as they take on the school board after they banned a list of diversity books Emma was asked to compile for the community. The arrogance and ignorance of the book banners is all too realistic, but it's cathartic to see a woman go up against their white-male-machine as she fights for diversity (and for our Constitutional rights).

This well-written book is a quick read. You won't want to put it down!

#summerreads