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Mohrbooks Literary Agency
Sebastian Ritscher
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English
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DOWN AND ACROSS

Arvin Ahmadi

Scott Ferdowsi has a track record of quitting. Writing the Great American Novel? Three chapters. His summer internship? One week. His best friends know exactly what they want to do with the rest of their lives, but Scott can hardly commit to a breakfast cereal, let alone a passion.
With college applications looming, his parents pressure him to pursue a "practical" career in engineering or medicine. Desperate for help, Scott sneaks off to Washington, DC, to seek guidance from Cecily Mallard--a famous professor who specializes in grit, the psychology of success.

He never expects an adventure to begin on what was supposed to be a one-day visit. But that's what Scott gets when he meets Fiora Buchanan, a ballsy college student whose life ambition is to write crossword puzzles. When the bicycle she lends him gets Scott into a high-speed chase, he knows he's in for the ride of his life.

Soon, Scott finds himself sneaking into bars, attempting to pick up girls at the National Zoo, and even giving the crossword thing a try--all while opening his eyes to fundamental truths about who he is and who he wants to be.
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Book

Published 2018-02-06 by Viking Books for Young Readers

Book

Published 2018-02-06 by Viking Books for Young Readers

Comments

A story of friendship, growing up, and learning to commit to something.

Arvin Ahmadi’s novel shares a lot in common with its irrepressible hero, Saaket. It's quirky and charming, wise and unpredictable, and, dare I say it, full of bighearted grit.

Arvin Ahmadi's debut novel is a rollicking adventure full of humor and quirky characters from all walks of life . . . Their zany exploits are humorous and insightful and nothing is off-limits on Scott's educational journey: youth hostels, hospitals, bars, even the French Embassy.

Down and Across is clever, brash, and punchy, rife with good advice and incisive commentary about parents' expectations.

Brit + Co included DOWN AND ACROSS in their roundup of 8 Exciting Debut Novels to Kick Off the New Year: In this coming-of-age YA novel, Scott Ferdowsi has no clue what he wants to do after high school. Seeking advice from a psychologist who claims to know the secrets to life, Scott will travel to Washington, DC and meet a girl who will forever change his outlook. Given a new lease on life, Scott embarks on an adventure of growing up and finding himself that will end in eye-opening discoveries about who he really is and who he wants to be. Read more...

Highly original . . . An engaging debut novel about self-discovery.

Turkish: Ephesus ; Vietnamese: Nguyen Hien Le Foundation

Arvin Ahmadi's earnest debut is a charming romp of a book, a heartfelt tour of a city through the bright eyes of a hopeful heart. Ahmadi proves his grit and then some withDown and Across

EW.com (15.3 Million unique visitors per month) exclusively revealed the cover for Arvin Ahmadi’s DOWN AND ACROSS. The cover reveal ran alongside an interview between Arvin Ahmadi and Angie Thomas, author of The Hate U Give. Read more...

Arvin Ahmadi's voice will be a dynamic entry into YA literature.Down and Acrossis a thrilling game-changer that touches on the universal journey of self-discovery with a deft hand and riotous humor.

John Green fans will appreciate this tale . . . [Ahmadi] successfully fashions a universal story of discovering one's true self through the honest eyes of another.

Witty, smart, and inspiring, the novel celebrates life's big and little surprises and the connections made between people that lead to profound changes.

Debut author Ahmadi sets up a meet-cute with a manic-pixie-dream-girl type, but he refreshingly upends those tropes, instead telling a smart story about transformation . . . Both Saaket and Fiora emerge as multifaceted personalities with an engaging dynamic, and readers will easily cheer Saaket on as he blunders through toward meaningful growth.

It's a must-read book for anyone who has ever felt a little lost.

Arvin Ahmadi's charming debut, Down and Across, brings a strong new voice to teen literature. Scott's uncertainty, and his panic over that uncertainty, will resonate with high school readers faced with the impossible task of figuring out what they want to do with their lives.

Charmingly funny, intensely relatable, and unexpectedly moving Down and Across is a big-hearted gem of a debut from an exciting new voice.

BuzzFeed included DOWN AND ACROSS in their roundup Start Off Your 2018 Right by Reading These 18 New YA Books, saying: "Ahmadi writes with head and heart, captivating readers with passages that leap beautifully from the pages." Read more...

Arvin Ahmadi is very active on Twitter Read more...

A lively first novel . . . This humorous, deeply human coming-of-age story will connect with teens.