You should see me in a crown

A teenager decides to compete to become prom queen in order to win a scholarship which will get her into a college and escape her small town.

Becky Albertalli meets Jenny Han in a smart, hilarious,
black girl magic, own voices rom-com by fantastic debut talent,
Leah Johnson.

Liz has always believed she's too black, too poor, too awkward to shine in her small, rich, prom-obsessed town. But Liz has an escape plan to attend an uber-elite 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 college.

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?

NOTE : Ocasional very strong language; some homophobic and racist comments

Liz has always believed that she is too black, too poor and too anxious to be in the spotlight. But when she learns that the position of prom queen offers a scholarship that would allow her to attend her dream college, she decides to face her fears and enter the race. It's awful, but new girl Mack makes things slightly more bearable. The only problem is, Mack is in the running too...

Addressing issues of racism, homophobia and mental health in a lighthearted and frequently humorous style, this is an excellent debut. Liz is a really relatable character and although very American, the trials and tribulations of prom season have great teen appeal. 

Ocasional very strong language; some homophobic and racist comments