The Unpronounceables

A modern-day Looking for Alibrandi meets Bend It Like Beckham, The Unpronounceables is a wonderfully warm-hearted and hopeful YA novel full of humour, friendships, family, art and a touch of romance.

'My name, Navkiranjhot Ahloowalia, means "the new light," and contains a legacy of love and spiritual depth that go back centuries. But there's being unique and then there's watching a teacher reconsider their profession when they're trying to pronounce your name.'

At school, Navy's often mistaken for her best friends, fellow unpronounceables. At home, Navy's loving parents believe she must move to a select-entry STEM high school to secure a bright future. In secret, Navy's nurturing a new, addictive passion for art history that changes the way she sees herself.

Set adrift after a misunderstanding with her besties, Navy struggles to balance her parents' expectations with her own dreams of the future, and must decide what she wants and who she truly is. Then there is Rishal, who is mentoring Navy for the all-important entry exam. But he's just a friend, right?

Perfectly pitched and in the spirit of a contemporary Looking for Alibrandi, The Unpronounceables shines a light on second-generation migrant families and is a glorious celebration of Indian-Australian culture – a delightful, upbeat and ultimately hopeful coming-of-age YA novel.

About the Author

Balli Kaur Jaswal was born in Singapore and grew up in Japan, Russia and the Philippines. She studied Creative Writing at Hollins University in the US and was awarded the David TK Wong Creative Writing Fellowship at the University of East Anglia. For her novel Inheritance, Balli won the 2014 Sydney Morning Herald's Best Young Australian Novelist award. She is the author of five novels for adult readers and has been published in over 20 languages.

Her fiction combines wit and heart with provocative social commentary, and all of her HarperCollins novels have been snapped up for film development. Balli now lives in Australia with her young family.