Miss Meteor

Gr 7 Up–Once upon a time, Lita “turned from star-stuff thrown off a meteor into a girl” and became “to everyone around” the daughter of the local curandera Bruja Lupe. That meteor gave the New Mexico town its name—yes, Meteor—as well as the inspiration for the most coveted title around, the eponymous “Miss Meteor.” For eons, girls like Kendra—blonde, thin, and did they have to be so mean?—have always been anointed. This year though, Lita, “a brown girl with baby fat,” is “shaking things up” because she needs that crown to make her whole…literally: Only winning the pageant can halt her turning back into stardust. Reenter ex-BFF Chicky. Despite the estrangement that should never have been, Chicky—aided by her three glamorous older sisters—will figure out how to guide Lita back to earth. Two prolific Latinx audio favorites take turns with the dual narrative: Softer, rounder-voiced Almarie Guerra is searching, longing Lita; confident, clipped Kyla Garcia is self-proclaimed “tomboy” Chicky.