You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson: An Incredible Queer YA

What: You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson

Who: Scholastic Press

When: February 2020

How: A copy of this novel was provided by Scholastic Australia for review.

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?

You Should See Me in a Crown follows Liz Lighty, a Black, bisexual girl, through her final year of high school as she tried to become prom queen.  She doesn’t necessarily want the title for the reasons her competitors do. In fact, she wants the title for the scholarship money that comes with it. Because Liz is poor, and missed out on her college music scholarship.

The fact that so much of this book is about all things prom it didn’t remind me of my high school experience at all. But because we’re raised on American media here in Australia, it wasn’t like I was confused. But the small town where Liz lives in You Should See Me in a Crown takes prom to the next level. The place is obsessed with the thing, and in all honesty, it made me glad all over again that we don’t have that kind of thing over here.

Throughout the whole novel I was cheering for Liz. I wanted this girl to get her chance at her dreams. It really infuriates me how much the class divide can impact the future of young people, and it is even more the case in America where college is so expensive and loans put you in debt for years. Liz knew that if she didn’t become prom queen her grandparents would sell their house to pay for her tuition. This made the race all the more serious for her, and was why she put her everything into winning.

At first Liz thought this meant becoming someone else. Someone she and her friends thought would vote for prom queen. One of the messages at the heart of this book, however, is that it is always better to be yourself. And people might surprise you if you have the courage to show them who you truly are.

It would be remiss to not mention the romance in this review so here I am. The romance between Liz and Amanda was so incredibly sweet. Seeing the two of them build up to telling each other their feelings, and having their first adorable, awkward kiss was just so heart-warming. It was so lovely for Liz to have someone who finally understood what it was like to be a teenage girl going through high school without a mother, and to be queer in a tiny own where being queer isn’t exactly accepted. Seeing the two girls bond over these major things and support each other was *chef’s kiss*

Now, not everything is soft and sweet in You Should See Me in a Crown. There’s bullying, racism, and queerphobia directed at Liz from a fellow classmate (and also her principal). However, all of these things were challenged. The classmate’s friends challenge her, Amanda challenges her, and one of Liz’s teachers challenges the principal. This doesn’t erase the horrible things Liz had to face, but to see the people who care about her stand up for her was something I loved to see.

Overall, You Should See Me in a Crown was everything I had expected, and more. It had the sweet and fluffy things that I had been told about, but it also explored deeper themes that Liz went through. I can’t recommend this Own Voices book enough to fans of contemporary YA, queer books, and books that make you heart grow in size.

© 2021, Chiara @ Books for a Delicate Eternity. All rights reserved.

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