Like Vanessa

In Tami Charles's semiautobiographical debut novel, middle graders follow 13-year-old Vanessa Martin as she embarks on her journey to self-acceptance by reluctantly entering a beauty pageant, inspired by the first black Miss America, Vanessa Williams. Set in 1983 Newark, New Jersey, Vanessa navigates the challenges of her home life, including an incarcerated mother and a grandfather struggling with addiction, all while grappling with her own self-confidence. As she participates in the pageant organized by a new teacher, Vanessa learns that her worth extends beyond the competition, ultimately embracing her true beauty without the need for a crown.