Don't Be a Drag

by Skye Quinlan

Overview

Two rival drag kings competing for a crown might just win each other's hearts.

When eighteen-year-old Briar Vincent's mental health takes a turn for the worst, her parents send her to spend the summer in New York City with her older brother, Beau, also known as the drag queen Bow Regard.

Backstage at the gay bar where Beau performs, Briar just wants to be a fly on the wall, but she can't stand by when the cute but conceited drag king Spencer Read tries to put down another up-and-coming performer. To prove to him that even a brand-new performer could knock him off his pedestal, Briar signs up for the annual drag king competition.

There's just one flaw in her plan: Briar has never done drag before.

With the help of her brother and a few new friends, Briar becomes Edgar Allan Foe, a drag king hellbent on taking Spencer down. But unless she can learn how to shake her anxiety and perform, she doesn't stand a chance of winning Drag King of the Year, overcoming her depression and inner demons, or avoiding falling for her enemy, who might not be so bad after all.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798890039507
Publisher:	Page Street Publishing
Publication date:	05/28/2024
Pages:	368
Sales rank:	374,502
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 7.70(h) x 1.30(d)
Age Range:	14 Years

About the Author

Skye Quinlan (they/them) is a queer, autistic author of YA fiction. They’re an avid reader, have an absurd amount of crystals and gemstones, and if they’re not tending to their garden, you can usually find them playing Animal Crossing. Skye lives in Ohio with their wife, two dogs, a snake, and two lizards.

Editorial Reviews

"Briar’s mental health journey is at the core of the story, which accurately and unflinchingly depicts her experiences with anxiety and depression. The endearing Briar is realistically drawn, and the supporting characters are all lovable in their own ways [...] A joyful celebration of identity and community."
—Kirkus Reviews

"Quinlan's portrayal of Briar's mental health struggles may strike a chord with some readers, and their description of drag competitions will enthrall Drag Race fans."
—Booklist

“Honest, hopeful, and full of sparkle, Don't Be a Drag shows that sometimes the best way to find your truest self is to let the sides of your personality shine that you've kept hidden from yourself and others.”
—Jason June, New York Times bestselling author of Out of the Blue

“A realistic and raw portrayal of living with depression and anxiety. Don't Be a Drag introduces a fun, messy, memorable found family that I couldn’t stop cheering for. Quinlan beautifully shows how we all have the power to face our demons, step into the spotlight, and slay!”
—Jenna Miller, author of Out of Character

“Tender, fierce, and full of big feelings, Briar's story of self-discovery and self-compassion is just as captivating as the bold contour and bright lights of the drag stage. But where Quinlan really shines is in their trio of complicated kings who come together in a time-honored queer tradition: accepting each other for exactly who they are and supporting each other joyously. Don't Be a Drag is a tale of courage and community fit for a king.”
—Christen Randall, author of The No-Girlfriend Rule

“Don't Be a Drag achingly captures the tumult of mental anxiety—that human wrestle between the terror in the imagined world and the magic in the real world. Drag brings the magic and pours in light, and Quinlan does not miss a shimmering detail. A stunning journey!”
—Debbie Rigaud, author of A Girl's Guide to Love & Magic

From the Publisher

2024-02-17
An anxious teen comes into her own through the art of drag.

Briar is leaving Texas to spend the summer in New York City with her brother, Beau, aka drag queen Bow Regard. At a show, she meets—and clashes with—Selene, Beau’s infuriatingly attractive but arrogant friend, who performs as drag king Spencer Read. Briar decides to try to beat Spencer in an upcoming competition, and so begins her own drag journey. Along the way, she’ll flirt with Spencer, befriend fellow drag king Achilles, bicker with her brother, and ultimately gain much-needed confidence both on and off the stage. Briar’s mental health journey is at the core of the story, which accurately and unflinchingly depicts her experiences with anxiety and depression. Neither drag nor her flirtation with Spencer is able to magically cure her, but the community she finds in New York leads her to agree to pursue therapy and medication, offering hope for her future. The endearing Briar is realistically drawn, and the supporting characters are all lovable in their own ways, from cosplaying Achilles and sassy but sincere Beau to Briar’s compassionate and down-to-earth mentor, Jacklynn Hyde. A host of queer identities are depicted; Briar is bisexual, and her found family includes a nonbinary person and a trans woman. Main characters present white.

A joyful celebration of identity and community. (author’s note, resources) (Fiction. 14-18)

Kirkus Reviews