Martin McLean, Middle School Queen

Synopsis: 

“Seventh-grader Martin McLean has always been surrounded by people who can express themselves. His mother is an artist, his colorful Tío Billy works in theater, and his best friends Carmen and Pickle are outgoing and don’t care what other people think. But Martin can only find the right words when he’s answering a problem at a Mathletes competition—until his tío introduces him to the world of drag.

In a swirl of sequins and stilettos, Martin creates his fabulous drag queen alter ego, Lottie León. As Lottie, he is braver than he’s ever been; but as Martin, he doesn’t have the guts to tell anyone outside of his family about her. Not Carmen and Pickle, not his Mathletes teammates, and definitely not Chris, an eighth-grader who gives Martin butterflies. When Martin discovers that his first-ever drag show is the same night as the most important Mathletes tournament, he realizes that he can only pull off both appearances by revealing his true self to his friends—and channeling his inner drag superstar.”

Review:

If you’re looking for a middle grade novel filled with diversity then pick up Martin McLean, Middle School Queen by Alyssa Zaczek. Martin is a biracial (Afro-Cuban/white) middle school student. His goal? Trying to keep his head down and steer clear of the bullies that frequent his classes. His place to shine is as a Mathlete. Martin’s confused about his feelings for a classmate, angry that his dad is gone, and jealous of his friends’ carefree attitudes. And yet, he continues to search for his true self and the bravery to share it. Martin learns more about himself than he ever thought imaginable when his mom invites his uncle to stay for a while.

I loved the supporting cast of characters Tío Billy, Carmen, Pickle, and Violet are amazing each in their own right. They have a fully realized backstory which makes each character feel real. And although I was shocked by the sheer amount of diversity within the characters, it doesn’t feel forced in any way. Each character brings something special to Martin’s story.

I have very little knowledge about drag and a lot of questions, but the feelings and setting surrounding Martin when he goes to his first drag show felt so real – welcoming, exciting, supportive, and so much more. With the support of his uncle and mom, Martin creates his own drag queen alter ego. As Lottie, he feels ready to take on the world. It’s only until a conflict in his schedule that he realizes that his confidence goes beyond the drag show stage.

My Final Thoughts

I was a little hesitant when I picked this book up because it truly is full of diverse characters. And provides a close-up look at an art form and activity that I know very little about. This story isn’t written by an own voices author, which concerned me a little at first. And yet Alyssa can clearly tell a story of a drag queen, of living life in a wheelchair, of being a middle schooler. Quotes from a few drag queens can be found on the publisher’s website. The drag culture was represented in its truest form which made me feel good sharing it with my readers.

Need to Know:

Title: Martin McLean, Middle School Queen
Author: Alyssa Zaczek
Publisher: Sterling Publishing
Publication Date: January 7, 2020
Page Number: 272 pgs.