Leah Johnson
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​You Should See Me in a Crown

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?


AWARDS AND DISTINCTIONS FOR
​YOU SHOULD SEE ME IN A CROWN:

Inaugural Reese Witherspoon's book club ya pick
2020 Junior Library Guild Selection

Summer/Fall 2020 Indies Introduce Selection
June 2020 The Bronx is Reading Book Club Selection
June 2020 Well-Read Black Girl Book Club Selection
Cosmopolitan 15 Best Young Adult Books of 2020
Publishers Weekly Best books of 2020
marie claire best books of 2020
parents.com 10 best books for teens 2020
Amazon best books of 2020
​NYPL best teen books of 2020

Children’s Book Council Spring 2020 Champions of Change Selection​

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YOU SHOULD SEE ME IN A CROWN is available NOW
You can order your copy from Bookshop here


​​PRAISE FOR
YOU SHOULD SEE ME IN A CROWN:

"Pitch perfect rom-com . . . The queer prom romance you didn't know you needed."
-Kirkus, starred review

"Johnson easily channels the self-effacing coolness of 1990s teen comedies with a 2020 sensibility in this heartfelt and laugh-out-loud funny YA rom-com."
-Publisher's Weekly, starred review

"Johnson puts a fresh spin on this novel with an unlikely romance, heartwarming friendships, and the tension of being Black, poor, and queer in a small town. A feel-good title for sure."
-Booklist

"We're already counting down until we see the movie adaptation of this YA novel." 
​-E! News

SELECTED PRESS FOR
​YOU SHOULD SEE ME IN A CROWN:

Leah Johnson Didn't See Herself in YA Novels, so She Wrote Her Own (Electric Lit)

Must-listen podcasts and audiobooks for fall 2020 (TODAY Show)

15 Best Young Adult Books of 2020 (Cosmo)

The Queer Rom-Coms I Wish I Had Seen Growing Up (Glamour)

Q&A With YA Superstar Leah Johnson (Indianapolis Monthly)

28 Highly Anticipated YA Books That Are Coming Out In 2020 (BuzzFeed)

6 Young Adult Novels That Share Telling Stories of Black Teens (Tiger Beat)

Unabashed Triumph: You Should See Me in a Crown Reimagines the Prom Queen (Bitch)

Well-Read Black Girl Selects YOU SHOULD SEE ME IN A CROWN as Their June Book Club Pick! (WRBG)


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  • Home.
  • Books.
    • You Should See Me in a Crown
    • Rise to the Sun
  • Portfolio.
  • Bio.
  • Contact.