Beauty Queens by Libba Bray. One of the sharpest books I’ve ever read…a feminist outcry, a simultaneous parody of Lord of the Flies and James Bond movies, a biting critique of commercialism, all punctuated by hysterical fake commercials for beauty products (“Because there’s nothing wrong with you that can’t be fixed!”).
Anyway, you really have to like a book that starts off with a planeload of teenage beauty queen contestants crash landing on a remote desert island and ends up with a profound message about growing up female in a country that’s happy to judge you on how well you can walk in high heels while wearing a swimsuit and smiling.
Sarah L. Thomson
A children’s book author publishing award-winning nonfiction, poetry, picture books and novels including…
“Readers will treasure the blossoming friendship between opposites in this whimsically illustrated tale. Short chapters and plenty of action make for an accessible and appealing reading experience. . . . Touching and inspiring.”
—Kirkus Reviews