Drama Queens in the House

Williams (Escaping Tornado Season) puts her theater background to good use in this novel about a biracial girl struggling to find her footing in life. Though Jessie Lewis was heavily involved in her parents’ renowned theater company growing up, she was too busy avoiding the spotlight and helping out backstage to foster her own potential. Now that she has graduated high school with no immediate college plans—despite being the youngest valedictorian in the school’s history at age 15—it’s her chance to discover her true passions. The only problem: family drama keeps getting in the way, including her father’s affair-turned-committed-relationship with a man, her “religious fanatic” aunt Loretta’s obsession with Arma-geddon, and her mother’s refusal to talk about her collapsing marriage. Williams’s writing style takes some getting used to—words written in all capitals and Jessie’s parenthetical asides can throw off the rhythm of the story. But readers with an interest in performance will particularly enjoy watching Jessie rediscover her confidence as well as her talents. Ages 12–up. Agent: Jill Corcoran, Jill Corcoran Literary Agency. (Mar.)