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Available
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Publication
New York : Scholastic Press, 2020.
Description
Romance. Humor (Fiction.) Young Adult Fiction. LGBTQIA+ (Fiction.) HTML: 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?… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member sennebec
An absolutely terrific feel-good book. Liz is strong, but at the same time, vulnerable, never knew her father, lost Mom early to sickle-cell disease and is hit with a huge disappointment when her scholarship, absolutely necessary for her to follow her dream, is denied. Most teens would be
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devastated and settle for a plan B, but with the encouragement of friends, she does the unthinkable, not once, but several times and in doing so, finds love, renews an old friendship she thought lost, and discovers that being her real self isn't so hard. A Great book for libraries to own. Show Less
LibraryThing member Noeshia
F your fairytale. lol But for real, this book is great. You've got representation, class issues, race issues, sexuality issues, and characters that are both complex and lovable. I liked the whole angle of friendships gone wrong and how they are settled in the end, as well as the stuff dealing with
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the formation of healthy relationships. Show Less
LibraryThing member ecataldi
Loved, loved, loved this! Leah Johnson does a fantastic job of bundling hard issues into a fluffy ridiculous event and the result is a readable, heartfelt, and impactful story that isn't too on the nose or too depressing for teens. Liz Lighty is devastated when she finds out she didn't get the
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expected scholarship to go to college. She doesn't want her grandparents to worry about money so she decides in an act of desperation to enter her high school's prom competition - the winner receives a 10kk scholarship. Liz has always been more of a wallflower - she has her small group of friends - but it's hard being black and queer in Indiana. How on earth will she win that crown?! Humorous, smart, and brave - everyone needs a friend like Liz Lighty - a fantastic teen read about acceptance, courage, staying true to yourself, and doing the right thing in the face of adversity. Show Less
LibraryThing member DebbyeC
5 Stars!
I LOVED this book! Honestly, I went into it assuming it would be a sweet little read without much substance, but it was equal parts adorable and moving. I read it both on audiobook and ebook, and the narrator did such an amazing job that I would not have been able to appreciate it as much
I LOVED this book! Honestly, I went into it assuming it would be a sweet little read without much substance, but it was equal parts adorable and moving. I read it both on audiobook and ebook, and the narrator did such an amazing job that I would not have been able to appreciate it as much
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if I simply read the ebook. I highly recommend!! Show Less
LibraryThing member bookwyrmm
This needs to be a movie because it is romantic, dramatic, and just plain fun.
LibraryThing member thereserose5
Such a cute read!
LibraryThing member bookworm12
An Indiana teen struggles to find her place as she balances her passion for music with her anxiety and her high school's ingrained prejudice against her. Despite the heavy subject matter, this book is so full of joy. Liz felt so real and was easy to connect with. Her vulnerability and strength were
*As a Hoosier, I absolutely loved all the Indy references in the book. From Rick's Boat Yard to the Arts Garden to Ritters, it was so fun to recognize the westside where I've lived for most of my life.
“Just because it could be worse doesn't mean you don't get to acknowledge how much it sucks, you know.”
“High school is complicated, and the lines of demarcation that The Breakfast Club said divided us aren’t quite so clean-cut. The athletes are also the smart kids; the theater kids are also the presidents of the student council. But there’s still those outliers. The people who are everywhere but fit nowhere.”
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beautiful and you can't help rooting for her. *As a Hoosier, I absolutely loved all the Indy references in the book. From Rick's Boat Yard to the Arts Garden to Ritters, it was so fun to recognize the westside where I've lived for most of my life.
“Just because it could be worse doesn't mean you don't get to acknowledge how much it sucks, you know.”
“High school is complicated, and the lines of demarcation that The Breakfast Club said divided us aren’t quite so clean-cut. The athletes are also the smart kids; the theater kids are also the presidents of the student council. But there’s still those outliers. The people who are everywhere but fit nowhere.”
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LibraryThing member Vanessa_Menezes
I just enjoyed reading this sweet YA book!
LibraryThing member forsanolim
Liz has been dreaming for years of attending a prestigious private college to get out of her homogenous, prom-obsessed Indiana hometown. But when her dreams of a music scholarship fall through, she realizes that the only way to make her dream achievable is by winning the massive scholarship awarded
I'm not quite sure how to rate this book. I think that it's very good at what it is: it's a sweet YA contemporary queer high-school story, and I think that it is probably extremely good for its audience (it does a good job of talking about race and sexuality in a pretty homogenous Midwestern town). I also did end up liking it more than I had originally expected--the setting is entirely ridiculous, but it was a fun to read about. At the same time, though, I think I can at this point recognize that this kind of book isn't for me. I found this book a bit grating in the same way that Fangirl was grating for me, and I think that the best way to describe it is that I don't tend to like books that try to be aggressively relatable. This book is chock-full of all sorts of pop culture references (Hunger Games? check. Hamilton? yep, in abundance. Disney Channel? of course. "Queen Bey"? got it.) and, in a very similar way to Fangirl, it made the main character's voice feel less authentic to me. To be clear, I really do think that this book is really valuable and important for a probably pretty wide range of people, but it fell a little short for me.
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to the school's prom queen. Between anxiety, family health issues, friend drama, and a crush on a new girl in school, Liz has a lot on her plate as she begins the month-long odyssey of prom campaigning.I'm not quite sure how to rate this book. I think that it's very good at what it is: it's a sweet YA contemporary queer high-school story, and I think that it is probably extremely good for its audience (it does a good job of talking about race and sexuality in a pretty homogenous Midwestern town). I also did end up liking it more than I had originally expected--the setting is entirely ridiculous, but it was a fun to read about. At the same time, though, I think I can at this point recognize that this kind of book isn't for me. I found this book a bit grating in the same way that Fangirl was grating for me, and I think that the best way to describe it is that I don't tend to like books that try to be aggressively relatable. This book is chock-full of all sorts of pop culture references (Hunger Games? check. Hamilton? yep, in abundance. Disney Channel? of course. "Queen Bey"? got it.) and, in a very similar way to Fangirl, it made the main character's voice feel less authentic to me. To be clear, I really do think that this book is really valuable and important for a probably pretty wide range of people, but it fell a little short for me.
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LibraryThing member roses7184
Where do I even start with this book? I bought You Should See Me In A Crown during the summer when it came out, but hadn’t had a chance to get to it yet. When it popped up as a choice on Libro.FM I knew it was going to be my next audiobook and I’m so glad that I made that choice! Leah Johnson
First off, can we give kudos to how well the whole relationship is done in this story? So often I get disenchanted with a story because of uncomfortable instant love that appears out of nowhere. Not here, my friends. Not here. In fact all of Liz’s relationships, from her friendships, to her family interactions, to her love interest are all beautifully done. Liz feels like someone who could be your best friend. I warn you, you’re going to get attached and you’re probably going to grin a lot during this story.
I also couldn’t get over how well done the high school backdrop is built up here. Liz lives in a city that frowns upon anything that isn’t “perfect” and well-mannered. We’ve seen that before. However I appreciated how this story went deeper and showed how ready the younger generation was to show up for Liz no matter what. I won’t spoil anything, but this story perfectly points out how often those kinds of negative attitudes are actually deeply seeded in the adult population. When I tell you I cheered more than once during this book, I’m being serious.
Honestly I could gush about this book for an entire term paper’s worth of time, but I feel like I’d definitely accidentally give something away that you should discover for yourself. I’ll leave it at the fact that I was so impressed with this entire story. The characters, the plot, the development, all of it just blew me away. If you’re looking for a read that is heartfelt, deals gorgeously with some tough topics, and gives the teen population a big old hug for being themselves, this is it.
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has crafted one heck of a story here. Liz Lighty is my kind of character, and I loved every second of my time with her.First off, can we give kudos to how well the whole relationship is done in this story? So often I get disenchanted with a story because of uncomfortable instant love that appears out of nowhere. Not here, my friends. Not here. In fact all of Liz’s relationships, from her friendships, to her family interactions, to her love interest are all beautifully done. Liz feels like someone who could be your best friend. I warn you, you’re going to get attached and you’re probably going to grin a lot during this story.
I also couldn’t get over how well done the high school backdrop is built up here. Liz lives in a city that frowns upon anything that isn’t “perfect” and well-mannered. We’ve seen that before. However I appreciated how this story went deeper and showed how ready the younger generation was to show up for Liz no matter what. I won’t spoil anything, but this story perfectly points out how often those kinds of negative attitudes are actually deeply seeded in the adult population. When I tell you I cheered more than once during this book, I’m being serious.
Honestly I could gush about this book for an entire term paper’s worth of time, but I feel like I’d definitely accidentally give something away that you should discover for yourself. I’ll leave it at the fact that I was so impressed with this entire story. The characters, the plot, the development, all of it just blew me away. If you’re looking for a read that is heartfelt, deals gorgeously with some tough topics, and gives the teen population a big old hug for being themselves, this is it.
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LibraryThing member ssperson
Lovely book. There were points where I was like "this wouldn't be a problem if you'd just communicate!", but then I'd remind myself that this is a YA book and the characters are teenagers and teens don't always have the best communication skills.
I definitely recommend this if you want to read a
I definitely recommend this if you want to read a
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cute book about a Black teen girl getting everything she deserves. Show Less
LibraryThing member electrascaife
Liz is a high school senior from a lower-middle class family in a very upper-class suburb of Indianapolis. She was hoping to go to her first-choice college - a fancy private school in Indiana - on a music scholarship and is devastated when she learns that she didn't get it. She's very shy, doesn't
A fairly typical high school YA story, with mean popular girls, a sweet love interest story, and the outsider coming into her own at the end. It's nicely written, though, and I enjoyed the characters despite the predictability of the plot.
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really fit in with the popular kids and has no desire to, plus she's gay in a town that likely isn't ready to accept her as such. So when her only option seems to be running for prom queen (there's a nice scholarship attached to the crown), she quickly becomes a fish out of water. A fairly typical high school YA story, with mean popular girls, a sweet love interest story, and the outsider coming into her own at the end. It's nicely written, though, and I enjoyed the characters despite the predictability of the plot.
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LibraryThing member rgruberexcel
RGG: Super fun Black girl story about making the world accept her. You'll fall in love with Liz Lighty and her friends and family. Reading Interest: 13-YA.
LibraryThing member AKBouterse
And finished! That was a super fun and fast read. I feel like people talked about the relationship in this a lot so there was less romance than I was expecting but I still really liked this.
This is much more of contemporary than I was expecting. Again, in all the reviews I had seen people
The other thing I heard about this was that it was really cute. It is really cute! But a significant part of this book is about really serious issues and this author does not shy away from tackling those issues and she did a really good job. I really cared about Liz and wanted to see here succeed and find happiness. Part of that was her relationship but it was also about her career and her family. I think her relationship with her family is the most central part of this story and really the part of this book that left a lasting impression on me.
There were a few small things that kept me from giving this five stars but they're minor and it definitely wouldn't stop me from recommending this broadly. I'm very excited to read this author's next book and see what she does next.
This is much more of contemporary than I was expecting. Again, in all the reviews I had seen people
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discussed a romance a lot but that really only a small part of this book. My expectations for this book being different than the actual content is not a problem with the book but I did end up getting a book that was a lot more than a romance and I'm really happy about this because the whole story was really good. The other thing I heard about this was that it was really cute. It is really cute! But a significant part of this book is about really serious issues and this author does not shy away from tackling those issues and she did a really good job. I really cared about Liz and wanted to see here succeed and find happiness. Part of that was her relationship but it was also about her career and her family. I think her relationship with her family is the most central part of this story and really the part of this book that left a lasting impression on me.
There were a few small things that kept me from giving this five stars but they're minor and it definitely wouldn't stop me from recommending this broadly. I'm very excited to read this author's next book and see what she does next.
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LibraryThing member fionaanne
DNF. There are these weird little info dumps that could so easily have been avoided. And the way new characters are introduced leaves me confused... shifting names, two characters at once, too much backstory, ugh. I was so stoked for this plot-wise but my hand itched to get out the blue pencil.
LibraryThing member laytonwoman3rd
Liz Lighty is a senior in a middle-American high school where Prom is the biggest event of the year, not just at school, but in the whole community. A point system determines which applicants will be chosen for the Court, and preparation for it involves academic performance, community service as
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well as unrelenting scrutiny on the school's dedicated social media platform, Campbell Confidential. Ordinarily, Liz would not have considered competing; she is much more comfortable sticking to her studies, her music and her small circle of friends. She suffers from anxiety and occasional severe panic attacks; her brother has sickle cell anemia, a disease which took their mother from them years earlier. She has fallen out with a guy who was her very best friend through middle school. She is not publicly "out", but her best friends and her family are aware of her sexual orientation, and now she seems to be falling in love with the new girl. There has never been a Black Campbell Prom Queen, a post which is subject to a popularity contest among the members of the Court. Furthermore, the rules are crystal clear---no same sex couples can attend Prom together. But the music scholarship Liz had counted on to make it possible for her to attend Pennington College has not come through, and there is a financial reward to being chosen Queen which could make up for that. She has to go for it. Lots of exploration of what it's like to be a teenager wrestling with feelings: the good, the bad, the frightening and the incomprehensible. A particularly well-done romance, and some fine friendship stuff, all in a well-crafted story. Initially I had a little trouble with the adolescent voice (it sounded younger than I thought it should at first), but I stuck with it until the story started to grab hold, and then I was OK for the most part. It wasn't written for me, but I got plenty from it. Show Less
LibraryThing member Dairyqueen84
So sweet and good. I can't stand when I find errors in books I like. Liz is supposed to be tall which is why she did so well in the powderpuff football game. When she is at the hospital her brother's doctor is 5 feet tall and later on the page, Liz says, "she's about my height." Someone should have
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caught that error. Show Less
LibraryThing member ecataldi
Loved, loved, loved this! Leah Johnson does a fantastic job of bundling hard issues into a fluffy ridiculous event and the result is a readable, heartfelt, and impactful story that isn't too on the nose or too depressing for teens. Liz Lighty is devastated when she finds out she didn't get the
Show More
expected scholarship to go to college. She doesn't want her grandparents to worry about money so she decides in an act of desperation to enter her high school's prom competition - the winner receives a 10kk scholarship. Liz has always been more of a wallflower - she has her small group of friends - but it's hard being black and queer in Indiana. How on earth will she win that crown?! Humorous, smart, and brave - everyone needs a friend like Liz Lighty - a fantastic teen read about acceptance, courage, staying true to yourself, and doing the right thing in the face of adversity. Show Less
LibraryThing member ewyatt
Liz's world is tipped upside down when she finds she didn't get a scholarship to the college that she had her heart set on, following in her deceased mom's footsteps. Her plan B is to become prom queen which in her small Indiana town comes with a scholarship. She's got an amazing group of friends
This campaign is intense! Liz struggles while also surprising herself along the way. A mean girl pulls out all the stops along the way, but other characters in the story take a stand against the racism, homophobia, and bullying on display.
A touching, fun, and affirming read.
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but their relationship is not without drama and trauma. When a new girl, Amanda aka Mack, starts at the school Liz feels an attraction. This campaign is intense! Liz struggles while also surprising herself along the way. A mean girl pulls out all the stops along the way, but other characters in the story take a stand against the racism, homophobia, and bullying on display.
A touching, fun, and affirming read.
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LibraryThing member ms_rowse
Loved it. Glad to have this in my classroom to recommend to BIPOC and queer students--representation is so important, and this book hits all the right notes. Also, I'm pretty sure this is the first book I've read with a Black protagonist that felt light and airy throughout--that's not a criticism
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of this or other books, just a difference. There's still conflict and there's still serious issues addressed, but the overall tone and feel of the book is joyful--and that's just as important for us all to read as the books that land a bit heavier in our souls. Show Less
LibraryThing member xaverie
In a lot of ways, You Should See Me in a Crown is very ordinary. Stories about teenagers running for prom court, working hard for college money, or just struggling to deal with bullying are a dime a dozen, the concepts are far from new.
However, this is Leah Johnson's fulfillment fantasy, not any
Our protagonist has a great alliterative name, Liz Lighty, and she's a vibrant, well-fleshed out character. She's a Black band geek that is dealing with the death of her mother, the illness of her brother, and all the stress that comes from being in your last year of high school and desperate to get to university by any means necessary. Oh, and she's queer and has a crush on the new girl at school, Mack.
There are aspects of the high school prom storylines that can seem very cheesy or cringey, but Johnson's prose walks a tightrope of earnestness and self-awareness that brings a smile to your face instead. Liz is a really likeable, compelling protagonist.
However, this is Leah Johnson's fulfillment fantasy, not any
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of the others, and she has added her own unique touches to these classic teen themes that makes it even more accessible to everyone.Our protagonist has a great alliterative name, Liz Lighty, and she's a vibrant, well-fleshed out character. She's a Black band geek that is dealing with the death of her mother, the illness of her brother, and all the stress that comes from being in your last year of high school and desperate to get to university by any means necessary. Oh, and she's queer and has a crush on the new girl at school, Mack.
There are aspects of the high school prom storylines that can seem very cheesy or cringey, but Johnson's prose walks a tightrope of earnestness and self-awareness that brings a smile to your face instead. Liz is a really likeable, compelling protagonist.
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LibraryThing member Danielle.Desrochers
This book was so good, it was cute and fun and heartbreaking. I loved it!
LibraryThing member BarnesBookshelf
I've read a LOT of YA novels, and a lot of them have very similar plots. The main character is a high school senior who's been mostly a wall-flower throughout their high school career with the exception of maybe one or two special hobbies or classes. They (usually a she, if I'm being honest) are that Liz and Jordan are able to make amends . I truly feel that a lesser writer would've taken Johnson's concept and made it "okay" while Johnson knocked it out of the park. I can't wait to read more from her in the future!
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forced out of their comfort zone in order to do something that will help them secure their future, often times a way out of their small town. I've even read YA books where that "something" is a competition, complete with winning a crown! And there's nothing wrong with a standard YA plot. As anyone who's been forced to study literature knows, all stories are the same story. That said, I'm not sure I loved any of those other standard plot YA novels as much as this book. Leah Johnson takes this very standard plot and keeps it fresh and funny. I love the addition of the Campbell Confidential and how that adds a better look at how being a young adult nowadays truly is. I love being able to watch Liz grow out of her shell and realize who she is and wants to be. The romance in the story is super adorable, and I love Show Less
Subjects
Awards
Lambda Literary Award (Finalist — 2021)
Soaring Eagle Book Award (Nominee — 2023)
Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award (Nominee — Young Adult — 2022)
Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Reader's Choice Award (Nominee — 2023)
Great Lakes Great Books Award (Nominee — 2022)
Oregon Reader's Choice Award (Nominee — 2023)
Lincoln Award: Illinois Teen Readers' Choice Award (Nominee — 2023)
Arkansas Teen Book Award (Nominee — 2022)
The Flume: NH Teen Reader's Choice Award (Nominee — 2022)
NCSLMA Battle of the Books (High School — 2022)
Virginia Readers' Choice (Nominee — High School — 2023)
Golden Archer Award (Nominee — 2022)
Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (Nominee — High School — 2022)
Milwaukee County Teen Book Award (Nominee — 2021)
Volunteer State Book Award (Nominee — Middle School — 2022)
Evergreen Teen Book Award (Nominee — High School — 2023)
Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers (Nominee — 2022)
Rhode Island Teen Book Award (Nominee — 2022)
Three Stars Book Award (Nominee — High School — 2022)
ALA Rainbow Book List (Selection — 2021)
Reese's Book Club (Young Adult — 2020-08 — 2020)
Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection — 2021)
Read Aloud Indiana Book Award (High School — 2022)
Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers (Top Ten — 2021)
Nerdy Book Award (Young Adult Literature — 2020)
Los Angeles Public Library Best of the Year (Teen — 2020)
Rise: A Feminist Book Project for Ages 0-18 (Selection — 2021)
Just One More Page Recommendation List (Young Adult — 2021)
Project LIT Book Selection (Young Adult — 2021)
Language
Original publication date
2020-06-02
ISBN
9781338503265
Local notes
Age Range: 14 - 17
Grades: 7 - 12
Grades: 7 - 12
Other editions
You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson (Paperback)
You should see me in a crown by Leah Johnson (Paper Book)
You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson (Paperback)
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