Queens of Geek

Gr 9 Up—In this blend of fandom, romance, and coming-of-age, two Australian girls, both high school seniors, attend a fan convention in California, and romantic intrigues ensue. The fast-paced, entertaining story introduces a cast of characters who are all geeks, but in other ways, they are a diverse group of friends. Narrated in alternating first-person voices, the short chapters are filled with authentic language that reflects the characters' ages and online interests, with many embedded social media posts as well as acronyms and terms from the Urban Dictionary. The characters' diversity provides natural opportunities to explore a number of contemporary teen issues, including race, sexual orientation, feminism, and body image. Some of the most compelling chapters are told from the point of view of Taylor, who fears change, hates crowds, and is on the autism spectrum. The setting of the convention offers sci-fi and fantasy devotees the fun of vicariously attending the SupaCon convention as well as a behind-the-scenes look at the experiences of the authors, actors, and vloggers who are on stage.