Vancouver English teacher Tanya Boteju's debut YA novel, Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens (Simon & Schuster 2019) concerns a bored teen coping with the sudden departure of her mother and the unrequieted love of her straight girlfriend. An encounter with the drag scene at a local festival grabs her attention and propels her into a new world that helps her to confidently express and accept love.

One reviewer wrote that Boteju has "profound knowledge of drag queen culture, and her love for it practically pops off the page," adding that the novel is "a bright and sparkly celebration of love and self-acceptance."

BOOKS:

Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens (Simon & Schuster, 2019) $23.99 978-1-53443-065-5

Bruised (Simon & Schuster, 2021) $19.99 9781534455023

[BCBW 2021]