Noteworthy

Riley Redgate’s YA novel Noteworthy is “a smart critique of gender roles—male and female—in today’s society . . . delightfully wrapped up in a fun, compelling package of high-school rivalries, confusing romances, and a classic Shakespearean case of mistaken identity” (Booklist, Starred Review).

It’s the start of Jordan Sun’s junior year at the Kensington-Blaine Boarding School for the Performing Arts. Unfortunately, she’s an Alto 2, which—in the musical theatre world—is sort of like being a vulture in the wild: She has a spot in the ecosystem, but nobody’s falling over themselves to express their appreciation. So it’s no surprise when she gets shut out of the fall musical for the third year straight.

But then the school gets a mass email: A spot has opened up in the Sharpshooters, Kensington’s elite a cappella octet. Worshipped . . . revered . . . all male. Desperate to prove herself, Jordan auditions in her most convincing drag, and it turns out that Jordan Sun, Tenor 1, is exactly what the Sharps are looking for.

“Redgate deftly harmonizes a lighthearted plot with an exploration of privilege, identity, and personal agency . . . A heart song for all readers who have ever felt like strangers in their own skins.” —Kirkus Reviews(Starred Review)