In NO PURCHASE NECESSARY, Ajay is struggling to find his way in his new school and live up to the high academic standards set by his parents. When he’s threatened by a bully, he steals a candy bar from a convenience store, hoping to win approval. When the bully rejects the candy because Ajay had put it in his pants, Ajay opens it, only to find the wrapper is the ticket to win a million dollar prize. The money could change his immigrant family’s trajectory, but the way that Ajay came into possession of the candy bar and his parents’ strict rules lead Ajay to an internal struggle. Since his parents are opposed to extracurricular activities, Ajay takes on a job at the store that he took the candy from without telling his parents. He hopes this will ease some of his guilt, but his lies continue to pile up and an easy answer doesn’t seem to be in sight.

Ajay is a complex yet relatable character. He has a moral code and knows he’s made a big mistake but just can’t quite figure out how to get out of the hole he’s dug for himself. The twists and turns of Ajay’s moral dilemma paired with the middle grade themes of fitting in, friendships, and finding yourself provide lots of tension throughout the book will keep readers hooked until the surprising conclusion.

No Purchase Necessary is an enjoyable and educational read for the middle school age group. Ajay is in 8th grade and finds himself in the cultural minority of his predominately white class, Since his family is from Sri Lanka, almost every aspect of his upbringing is a bit different from his classmates. When Ajay steals a chocolate bar as part of an attempt to fit in, he finds himself in quite a bind as he's suddenly in possession of the "winning golden ticket" a la Willy Wonka. As Ajay tries to cover his tracks, he digs himself deeper into a hole of lie after lie. With a little help from new friends and some honest conversations with his family, Ajay is able to set himself right again by the end of the novel and learn a few life lessons along the way.

Themes of morality, responsible behaviors, and cultural acceptance are explored in this novel. Overall, I found No Purchase Necessary to be an insightful YA novel that would fit in many middle school Literature classes.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins Childrens Publishing for the chance to read this novel.

What if Charlie Bucket stole the Wonka bar that got him into the Chocolate Factory?
I was so intrigued by the premise of this book when we received it in store the other day that I just had to request it and read it for myself. I will recommend this to young readers who are looking for humor and fun in a contemporary setting.

Thank you to #NetGalley, Maria Marianayagam. and the publisher of the book for the eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.



Ajay has a problem.

Ajay has lived his life appropriately and always follows the rules of his parents: Straight As only, there's no such thing as a no-homework day, never watch scary movies etc.

Ajay is at a new school and is struggling to get on the good side of school bully, Jacob. When Jacob asks him to steal a chocolate bar from a local convenience store, Ajay thinks this will help him with his problem. Jacob does not take the bar leaving it to Ajay who eats it and learns he is the million dollar winner.

Ajay is struggling with the guilt of stealing the bar and making sure his family is financially secure. What is he going to do?

I loved this middle grade read and loved Ajay! The struggles he faces on supporting his family or to do what is morally right, kept me reading way past my bed time. I think it focuses on important themes such as school, family, friends, doing what is right, etc.

One of my absolutely favorite MGs I’ve read in a while! I’ll be recommending this book widely. It has a very relatable and likable main character for middle grade audiences. It hits all the right notes of friendship, parent/sibling relationships, doing what’s right, first crushes/relationships. I really appreciated the relationship between the main character and his parents and the tension, acceptance, and discussion of rules and traditions that were involved. This book was amazing!

3.5 Stars
One Liner: More like a children’s book for adults

Ajay Anthonipillai has followed the rules all his life. However, his desire to make friends with Jacob, the famous kid in school leads him to steal and lie. Worse, the Mercury chocolate bar he stole is special. It has the Twenty-fifth Anniversary Grand Prize offered by the company – a million dollars!
But how can Ajay claim the prize when he stole the chocolate? As his lies spiral out of control, Ajay needs to reevaluate his actions and decisions.
The story comes in Ajay’s first-person POV.

My Thoughts:
I was curious to read a book about a Sri Lankan immigrant family in the US. Their struggles, the desire to do their best at the cost of interpersonal relationships, the racism they face, etc., are well presented and appropriate for the age group.
It was easy to empathize with Ajay’s situation in school even though he managed to irritate me a few times. But it only proves a point so I can see it as a part of character and story development.
It was a bit of surprise to see Ajay’s family as Christians but it shouldn’t have been. What I didn’t expect was the extent of faith in the content. Nothing against it but I don’t think I’ve read an MG book where the main character talks often about god. Just not what I was expecting. That said, Father Freddie sounds cool!
As you can guess from the official blurb, the MC’s parents are typical Asian tiger mom and dad. That’s something I don’t particularly relate to. Yeah, I had friends whose parents were like that. Luckily, mine were and are cool with what I do. I didn’t have to be a topper (I wasn’t either).
A couple of side characters had potential (Mindy and Al). However, they don’t get enough development. The light shines on Ajay almost throughout, and sometimes, reading his first-person POV felt a little exhausting.
A part of this is maybe because the book feels heavier than the blurb. I hoped it would have some fun lighthearted moments or heartwarming ones. There might be a couple but not enough to feel the warmth. The heaviness remains. This may not work that well for the target age group.
Still, I liked how the ending was handled. Some good luck but no real miracles, which is good. I’d have liked a conversation or two between the family members at the end.
There’s a glossary at the end (not necessary for most Indian readers) which will be helpful to understand the native terms.

To summarize, No Purchase Necessary is an interesting read, though I think it will work better for adults than kids.
Thank you, NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Ajay is a middle schooler who wants to be "cool" but has too many rules to follow from his parents. He steps out to steal a candy bar to be cool but instead is still made fun of and he has won a million dollars from the candy bar he stole! He does find a friend in Mindy who is richer than his immigrant family. Many relationships come across in this book with some of them pointing out what unconditional love is.