Dress Codes for Small Towns (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780062398512)

A Golden Kite Honor Book of 2018 * A Kirkus Best Book of 2017

"A poetic love letter to the complexities of teenage identity, and the frustrations of growing up in a place where everything fits in a box--except you."--David Arnold, New York Times bestselling author of Kids of Appetite

"Courtney Stevens firmly reasserts herself as a master storyteller of young adult fiction; crafting stories bursting with humor, heart, and the deepest sort of empathy."--Jeff Zentner, 2017 Morris Award Winner for The Serpent King

"Courtney Stevens carries us into the best kind of mess: deep friendships, small town Southern gossip, unexpected garage art, and unfolding romantic identity."--Jaye Robin Brown, author of Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit

As the tomboy daughter of the town's preacher, Billie McCaffrey has always struggled with fitting the mold of what everyone says she should be. She'd rather wear sweats, build furniture, and get into trouble with her solid group of friends: Woods, Mash, Davey, Fifty, and Janie Lee.

But when Janie Lee confesses to Billie that she's in love with Woods, Billie's filled with a nagging sadness as she realizes that she is also in love with Woods...and maybe with Janie Lee, too.

Always considered "one of the guys," Billie doesn't want anyone slapping a label on her sexuality before she can understand it herself. So she keeps her conflicting feelings to herself, for fear of ruining the group dynamic.

Except it's not just about keeping the peace, it's about understanding love on her terms--this thing that has always been defined as a boy and a girl falling in love and living happily ever after. For Billie--a box-defying dynamo--it's not that simple.

Readers will be drawn to Billie as she comes to terms with the gray areas of love, gender, and friendship, in this John Hughes-esque exploration of sexual fluidity.

Author: Courtney Stevens
ISBN-10: 0062398512
ISBN-13: 9780062398512
Publisher: Harperteen
Language: English
Published: 08/22/2017
Pages: 352
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 0.90lbs
Size: 8.50h x 5.80w x 1.20d

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 5
Point Value: 11
Interest Level: Upper Grade
Quiz #/Name: 500309 / Dress Codes for Small Towns


Review Citation(s):
School Library Journal 06/01/2017
Kirkus Reviews 06/15/2017 pg. 150
Booklist 06/01/2017 pg. 91
Publishers Weekly 07/31/2017
Voice of Youth Advocates 08/01/2017 - Recommended - Better Than Most
Hornbook Guide to Children 01/01/2018 pg. 160 - Recommended, Satisfactory