
Reach for this book when your daughter starts comparing herself to filtered images or questioning if she is pretty enough or thin enough. It is a powerful tool for girls navigating the transition to middle school who feel like they do not fit the traditional mold of beauty. Set in 1983, the story follows Vanessa Martin, a young girl from Newark who enters a beauty pageant after being inspired by Vanessa Williams, the first Black Miss America. The book explores complex family dynamics, including a grandfather who provides steady love and a mother who is absent due to addiction. It is a realistic and hopeful exploration of self-worth, colorism, and the courage to take up space in the world. You might choose it to help your child understand that true beauty comes from finding their own voice and standing tall in their own skin.
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Sign in to write a reviewExplores colorism and internal bias within the community.
References to the crack epidemic and drug use in the family's past/present.
Occasional period-appropriate slang and mild insults between peers.
The book deals directly and realistically with drug addiction, colorism, and LGBTQ+ identity. The approach is secular and grounded in the historical context of the 1980s. The resolution is hopeful but remains realistic: not every problem is solved, but Vanessa's internal perspective shifts toward self-acceptance.
A 10 to 12 year old girl who feels invisible or 'less than' because she doesn't see herself reflected in popular media, or a child dealing with the complicated emotions of having an incarcerated or addicted parent.
Parents should be prepared to discuss the reality of the crack epidemic mentioned in the book and the historical significance of Vanessa Williams. A scene involving a family member's struggle with addiction may require conversation. A parent might notice their child making disparaging comments about their own appearance or expressing a deep sense of loneliness despite being part of a family.
Younger readers will focus on the excitement of the pageant and the school friendships. Older readers will grasp the nuances of colorism, the socioeconomic struggles of the 1980s, and the courage it takes for Vanessa's brother to be himself.
Unlike many 'pageant books' that focus on vanity, this is a gritty, historical look at how a pageant can be a vehicle for reclaiming one's narrative and finding a sense of belonging in a marginalized community.
Vanessa Martin is a middle schooler living in Newark in 1983. She is talented and bright but struggles with her self-image due to her dark skin and the absence of her mother. When she enters the Miss Newark Middle School pageant, she must confront her own insecurities and the realities of her family life, including her brother's secret identity and her mother's struggles with addiction.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.