Empress of the World

Author: Sara Ryan

ISBN: 978-0142500590

Publication Information:Speak

Plot Summary: When budding anthropologist Nic heads to a summer camp for gifted teens, she isn't sure what to expect. Luckily, she quickly falls into a group of quirky individuals; chatty Katrina, musician Kevin and dreamy Battle. Battle especially catches Nic's eye, and the two begin to develop a romantic relationship. The relationship isn't always smooth sailing however, and the skills that make Nic a talented anthropologist eventually ends up pushing Battle away. Can Nic win Battles love back, or will her summer of love come to a premature end?

Critical Evaluation: Ryan has crafted a beautiful coming of age story about two young girls in love. The characters, especially the protagonist Nic, are cleverly and soulfully written, and their ongoing loves, crushes, relationships and heartbreaks tug on the heart strings. Each character's quirks, although at times are a source of frustration to the other characters in the novel, become endearing as the plot moves forward. Empress of the World is a great recommendation for anyone, but especially for teens that have either recently come out as queer, or are in the process of sexual self-discovery. Ryan treats Nic's discovery that she is attracted to girls in a delicate and positive manner, this book may prove to be a help source of support to teens going through the process of coming out.

Reader's Annotation: Anthropology student Nic is headed to summer camp for gifted students. Little does she know that this summer will change her life forever.

Author Information: Sara Ryan grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the daughter of two librarians. Ryan received a bachelors degree in Medieval Studies at Clarion, supporting herself by working in a variety of libraries. She went on to receive a masters degree in School of Information and Library Science, and eventually moved to Portland, Oregon, to work full time as a Librarian. She currently lives with her partner, Steve, who is a cartoonist. (Information taken from Sara Ryan's website http://sararyan.com/about/).

Curricular Ties: n/a

Genre: LGBTQ

Book talking ideas:

• What drew Nic to Battle?
• Do you think Battle was right to break off her relationship with Nic?
• Do you agree with the way Battle handles her relationships with her parents? How would you act with your parents in a similar situation?
  

Challenge issues:Mildly sexual content.

• Familiarize yourself with the book and its contents.
• Check the library for specific policies on challenged books.
• Check the ALA website for advice on how to respond and react when a book has been challenged. (http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/challengeslibrarymaterials/index.cfm)
  
• Find positive reviews from reputable websites.
• Ask the challenger for their specific objections and try to address them using information from the above research.

Interest Age:Grades 9 and up

Why I selected this piece: This book came highly recommended from a librarian who runs a queer writing (and ultimately) support group. After reading the book, I really liked how Nic and Battle's relationship was developed organically, and that the novel explores the beginning process of coming out as bisexual or gay.