You Should See Me in a Crown
by Leah Johnson (Author)
A Reese's Book Club YA Pick!
Liz Lighty has always believed she's too black, too poor, too awkward to shine in her small, rich, prom-obsessed midwestern town. But it's okay -- Liz has a plan that will get her out of Campbell, Indiana, forever: attend the uber-elite Pennington College, play in their world-famous orchestra, and become a doctor.
But when the financial aid she was counting on unexpectedly falls through, Liz's plans come crashing down . . . until she's reminded of her school's scholarship for prom king and queen. There's nothing Liz wants to do less than endure a gauntlet of social media trolls, catty competitors, and humiliating public events, but despite her devastating fear of the spotlight she's willing to do whatever it takes to get to Pennington.
The only thing that makes it halfway bearable is the new girl in school, Mack. She's smart, funny, and just as much of an outsider as Liz. But Mack is also in the running for queen. Will falling for the competition keep Liz from her dreams . . . or make them come true?
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School Library Journal
Gr 9 Up--Grabbing readers from the outset is the cover photo of a bronzed and radiant Liz Lighty, wearing a hand-drawn crown on her mass of natural curls, complete with a supermodel-style gap between her front teeth. And the story only gains momentum from there. Hair is not the only big thing in Liz's life. She has plans to study premed at Pennington College, but when she fails to get the partial music scholarship, she thinks all chances are gone. Her only hope for funding her education is the town's biggest event of the year, the prom, which comes with its own scholarships. In fact, the prom in Campbell County, IN, is "like football in Texas." As a music geek, Liz is out of her league in this world of dresses, makeup, posters with her face plastered everywhere, and the school's paparazzi. With help from her friends and a few tricks up her sleeve, Liz learns to play the game, including hiding her budding queer romance, sheltering her grandparents from her money woes, and stepping into the spotlight. Johnson's pacing is perfect as the story unwinds at dizzying speed, while attacking some tropes and celebrating others. Occasionally, life has fairy-tale endings. VERDICT Readers will fall in love with this refreshing book that celebrates the beauty of individuality.--Cicely Lewis, Meadowcreek High School, Norcross, GA
Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Publishers Weekly
Debut author Johnson easily channels the self-effacing coolness of 1990s teen comedies with a 2020 sensibility in this heartfelt and laugh-out-loud funny YA rom-com. Indiana high school senior Liz Lighty has two goals: attend prestigious Pennington College like her late mother, and become a doctor to study the disease that ended her mother's life. When the music scholarship she's counting on falls through, Liz's brother persuades her to do the unthinkable as one of the only black girls at wealthy, majority-white, and sometimes racist Campbell County High--run for prom queen and win the $10,000 scholarship that accompanies the prom-obsessed town's crown. An offbeat new girl's arrival throws Liz's carefully drawn plans for victory out the window: talented drummer Mack McCarthy is beautiful, and she's running for prom queen as a legacy. With wit and grounded optimism, Liz answers the book's burning fundamental question: can a poor, black, queer girl be prom queen? In Johnson's emotionally resonant storytelling, the pragmatic, hopeful, awkward Liz Lighty comes alive, complete with fear, regrets, hopes, and dreams. So too do her cheer squad of devoted friends and the impressively drawn setting of Campbell High School. Ages 12-up. Agent: Sarah Landis, Sterling Lord Literistic. (June)
Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
Praise for You Should See Me in a Crown:
A Reese's Book Club YA Pick
A Junior Library Guild Selection
A Well-Read Black Girl June Book Club YA Book Pick
* Pitch perfect romcom...The queer prom romance you didn't know you needed. — Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Johnson's pacing is perfect as the story unwinds at dizzying speed...Readers will fall in love with this refreshing book that celebrates the beauty of individuality. — School Library Journal
Johnson puts a fresh spin on this novel with an unlikely romance, heartwarming friendships, and the tension of being Black, poor, and queer in a small town. A feel-good title for sure. — Booklist
Filled with humor, heart, and swoon-worthy romance. -Kristina Forest, author of I Wanna Be Where You Are
A love story worthy of a crown. -Mason Deaver, author of I Wish You All the Best
With characters I adore and a romance that brought tears to my eyes, You Should See Me in a Crown absolutely stole my heart. -Kacen Callender, author of This Is Kind of an Epic Love Story and
Felix Ever After
You know when a book is like the ideal friend? You Should See Me in a Crown is that kind of book. Juicy, sharp, romantic, big-hearted, real. I loved it. -Anna Godbersen, author of the New York Times bestselling Luxe series
You Should See Me in a Crown is a powerful, absolutely relatable story that reminds Black, queer girls they have the power to do anything they want. -Camryn Garrett, author of Full Disclosure
With a refreshing voice and an unforgettable main character, Leah Johnson has written a stunning debut. Liz Lighty is smart and hilarious. -Sabina Khan, author of The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali
YAF031000 - Young Adult Fiction | LGBT
YAF052060 - Young Adult Fiction | Romance | Romantic Comedy
Friendship
Identity
Identity (Psychology)
African Americans
Grandparents
Schools
High schools
Young adult fiction
African American teenage girls
Competition (Psychology)
Lesbians
Proms
