March 2012
Beauty Queens by Call Number: CL YA Bra90b 2011_
What happens when a plane full of teen beauty pagaent contestants crashes on a deserted island? In the world of Libba Bray, you get a hilarious mash up of Lost, Castaway, and Toddlers and Tiaras. The girls must band together to survive the jungle, the mysterious experiments on the island, and their new dance number. Riddled with pop culture references and loaded with laughs, this book also works as a social and political satire asking readers to take a different look at feminism, the female gaze, sisterhood, reality tv shows, and our consumer society. Oh and sexy pirates, did we mention the sexy pirates?
Discussion Questions
What would be your talent for the pageant?
Which character did you identify with most?
Do you think the satire was over the top or just cutting enough?
What was your favorite satirical dig?
Many people have commented about the book's feminist constructs. What do you think of Libba's take?
Did you find the format interesting or distracting?