by Jenny Han
First published 2011
Clara Lee is a plucky fourth-grader who's determined to win the town's annual Little Miss Apple Pie pageant. But with her crippling stage fright, can she overcome her nerves and show the judges her true sparkle? As Clara navigates family expectations, a new friendship, and her own self-doubt, she learns that the real prize is finding the courage to be herself.
Genres: fiction, family-life, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, whimsical
Tropes: found-family, overcoming-self-doubt
160 pages · Paperback · Little, Brown Books for Young Readers