These links show the original reading lists. Inclusion is not a guarantee of suitability for your child.
Lyla Lee - Author
This is a performance-centred coming-of-age story about pursuing talent while resisting narrow ideas of beauty. Its strongest offering is a protagonist whose confidence and vulnerability coexist, alongside representation of bisexual and Korean American identities.
body positivitybeauty standardsbody shamingKorean American identityimmigrant parent-child relationshipscultural differencesbisexual identityLGBTQ charactersromance
Fiction
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Themes in Context
Body image and self-acceptance
Skye is comfortable with her body but still encounters criticism from her mother, the entertainment industry and others.CriticalCritical: the book challenges or disapproves of this theme.Critical: the book challenges or disapproves of this theme.
How the book presents it: The narrative presents appearance-based prejudice as an obstacle and gives Skye an active struggle towards self-acceptance.
Talk about: Does the story explore self-acceptance as ongoing, rather than as something criticism can permanently settle?
Family and cultural expectations
Skye’s relationship with her mother places personal ambitions and appearance expectations within a Korean American family context.AmbiguousAmbiguous: the book leaves its position open to more than one reasonable reading.Ambiguous: the book leaves its position open to more than one reasonable reading.
How the book presents it: The book leaves its stance open to more than one reading.
Talk about: How does the story distinguish cultural expectation from one individual’s harmful treatment, if it does so?
LGBTQ representation
Skye is bisexual, and other LGBTQ characters appear; the story also includes a romance with fellow competitor Henry.FavourableFavourable: the book presents this theme approvingly or positively.Favourable: the book presents this theme approvingly or positively.
How the book presents it: The book presents this favourably.
Talk about: How do Skye’s identity and relationships affect her sense of belonging within the competition and her wider community?
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Why It May Be Worth Reading
It may prompt thoughtful discussion of how criticism shapes self-image, how support networks help, and how family or cultural expectations can complicate a young person’s choices without defining their worth.
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What Deserves Attention
Some readers may need support with repeated body-shaming, emotionally abusive comments from Skye’s mother and online or face-to-face bullying. Romance is restrained, with dating and several kisses; language is infrequent.
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A Conversation Worth Having
How does Skye respond when encouragement, prejudice and family criticism pull her in different directions, and does the story leave room to question whether self-acceptance can coexist with wanting recognition?
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Reading Approach
Read alongside the young person rather than treating body positivity as a single lesson. Pause after difficult family or bullying scenes, ask what support Skye receives, and let the reader decide which cultural tensions feel familiar.
Confidence & Basis
Theme indicators describe how the book presents a topic; they are not a verdict on the whole book or your family's values. Confidence reflects how much book-specific material was checked. Only part of the book information was available, so some details remain unconfirmed.
What remains unconfirmed
Body image and self-acceptance: The ending and the full consequences of the criticism are not established.
Family and cultural expectations: The mother’s perspective and the wider family resolution remain unclear.
LGBTQ representation: Some details of this treatment remain unclear.
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