Starred review from August 21, 2023
Peter Thompkins, an openly gay high schooler, has gone viral, and not in a good way. His reputation for delivering vicious burns precedes him, but when a heated confrontation with another gay student is posted on social media, public opinion of him plummets (“That guy sucks,” one comment reads). Hoping to restore his honor, Peter turns to his drag performer best friend, YouTuber Alan Goode. Alan convinces Peter to produce a drag show in their rural hometown alongside Alan’s drag alter ego Aggie Culture and featuring House of Rural Realness, a community of local drag queens. Peter soon finds himself performing backup in drag videos, getting chased by alpaca farmers, and facing down homophobic vitriol, all while trying to repair his image, keep his friendship together, and maybe impress a cute newcomer. Peter is at once prickly and lovable, and his wry voice is equally exasperating and sympathetic. In taking a microscope to issues such as allyship, anti-fatness, anxiety, insecurity, and internalized homophobia, debut author Campbell presents an impassioned homage to queer community and culture that proffers clever and laugh-out-loud explorations of self-expression and acceptance. Characters cue as white. Ages 14–up.