Beauty Queens Resources

The official site of the book's author, Libba Bray.

You can read the author's blog, which, like her book, is sometimes poignant and often hilarious.

There she is, the Miss America website…

Here's the official site for Miss Teen USA, which is probably the closest pageant to the fictional Miss Teen Dream. Check out the photos of all the contestants to get a sense of what Bray's characters might look like.

The Guardian review of Beauty Queens is basically a heap of praise.

Author Libba Bray is interviewed, and in her own hilarious words, describes how she came up with and executed this zany masterpiece.

Not only does this article list defenses of beauty pageants; it also features amazing photos from American beauty pageants throughout the years. Hard to say no to a good snap.

If you're wondering what a real teen beauty pageant looks like, you can watch the full 2015 Miss Teen USA pageant—from strutting to the crown.

Remember Tiara's practice interview answer in Chapter Six? See how similar it is to the way Miss South Carolina answered in 2007.

Another pageant fail. Bumbling host Steve Harvey gives the Miss Universe crown to the wrong beauty queen.

Remember how Tiara said she did her first pageant when she was two weeks old? Watch this depiction of an actual baby beauty pageant from Toddlers and Tiaras. (Yes, it's a little creepy.)

Nicole was running for Miss Teen Dream so she could get a scholarship. But what does it mean that this type of organization provides scholarships? John Oliver looks into this, plus gets in a few zingers about Donald Trump along the way.

The best way to get to know the author is by listening to this interview with her, complete with a killer introduction.

Here's all the NPR coverage of Libba's books in one convenient thread.

What do you think of this provocative cover of the Beauty Queens book?

These photos show how the normal-looking girls in child beauty pageants are transformed into doll-like versions of themselves. (Even creepier.)

Check out this old photo of the first Miss America pageant in 1921, and notice all the ways our standards of beauty have changed. Also, are they wearing dresses, or just really old-timey swimsuits?