The Queen Bees of Tybee County

by Kyle Casey Chu

On Sale: 04/15/2025

The Queen Bees of Tybee County

Enlarge Book Cover

The Queen Bees of Tybee County

by Kyle Casey Chu

On Sale: 04/15/2025

Format:

About the Book

Better Nate Than Ever meets Dumplin’ in this charming, poignant debut by Kyle Casey Chu, aka Panda Dulce, a founding queen of Drag Story Hour. 

After making the buzzer-beating shot at the Georgia basketball state championships, Derrick Chan becomes the star of Bayard Middle School, and Derrick’s single dad could not be prouder. But there are parts of Derrick that no one knows about, like the toenail polish he wears under his basketball sneakers, his secret lip-sync performances in the bathroom mirror, and the feelings he’s developing for his best friend and teammate, JJ.

As the school year comes to a close, Derrick’s dad takes an out-of-town job and ships Derrick off to spend the summer with his estranged, eccentric grandmother, Claudia. Soon, Claudia introduces Derrick to the world of small-town southern beauty pageants, and Derrick suddenly feels he’s found where he belongs. But when the opportunity arises to compete in the town pageant, Derrick is forced to decide just how much of himself he’s ready to show the world.

Can he learn to love and accept the most unique parts of himself? And what will happen if others—like his father and JJ—can’t do the same? 

Critical Praise

In this emotionally grounded tale about becoming one’s true self, Chu carefully balances an affirming coming-out narrative with honest, approachable accounts of familial secrets, intergenerational trauma, and systemic racism and homophobia.  — Publishers Weekly

-

Product Details

  • ISBN: 9780063326958
  • ISBN 10: 0063326957
  • Imprint: Quill Tree Books
  • On Sale: 04/15/2025
  • Pages: 320
  • List Price:24.99 CAD
  • Ages: 8 to 12
  • BISAC1 : JUVENILE FICTION / Social Themes / Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance
  • BISAC2 : JUVENILE FICTION / LGBT
  • BISAC3 : JUVENILE FICTION / People & Places / United States / Asian American
  • BISAC4 : JUVENILE FICTION / Social Themes / Emotions & Feelings
  • BISAC5 : JUVENILE FICTION / Social Themes / Adolescence

The Queen Bees of Tybee County by Kyle Casey Chu

The broadest selection of online bookstores. The links will take you to the web site's home page.

Other Booksellers

The broadest selection of online bookstores. The links will take you to the Web site's home page.

SELECT:

Specialty Booksellers

Interest-specific online venues and gift accounts that offer books for purchase. The links will take you to the store’s home page.

International Customers

If you are located outside Canada, the best way to order online is to choose from the following bookstores listed by region and country.