“I’ve never felt quite like this though. Like I don’t know if I’m running away from something or to it. All I know is that I’m tired, so incredibly tired, of having to run at all.”
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?
At its crux this story is about a small-town girl running for prom queen. Who is gay. And black. And impoverished.
Liz is a loveable character. She cares about her family; she has gusto and courage. The queer love story is tender and sweet. It gives you just enough fluff so that the heavier themes of grief, shame, identity, poverty and loneliness don’t drag the story down too deep for too long. It is a nice look at the intersectionality of being BIPOC and Queer.
I’m always wary about stories that revolve around an American prom plot line as Aotearoa doesn’t have the same institution. But this was actually really fun. There are a lot of classic YA tropes that are subverted and I really enjoyed that. And there is a big focus on both family and friend relationships that is really lovely.
-Chelsea
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Date: June 1, 2020
Language: English
Hardcover: 328 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1338503265
Reading age: 12+
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?
Anxiety
Bullying
Death (parental)
Disease
Cancer
Chronic illness (family)
Forced outing
Homophobia
Hospital
Needles
Racism
Panic attacks
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