Charlie Pakluck, Campus Carrier guest columnist
Casey McQuiston’s third novel was published in 2022 under the title “I Kissed Shara Wheeler.” The book follows Chloe Green, a senior at Willowgrove Christian Academy. She was born and raised in California until her grandmother fell ill, prompting herself, her cat and her moms to move back to her mother’s hometown of False Beach, Alabama. Upon finding herself in a new and vastly different environment, Chloe decides that if she is going to stick out, it will be on her own terms. She befriends the outcasts and breaks school rules, forming a conduct-based relationship with principal Wheeler, father of her academic rival.
Shara Wheeler is the definition of a southern belle; pretty, rich, blonde and the ideal balance of confident and reserved. She is the perfect rival for Chloe. That is, until prom night. Right before being announced prom queen, Shara disappears, leaving her boyfriend and quarterback for the football team Smith Parker, behind.
Through a series of primly scribed notes hidden around the town by Shara, Chloe is forced to team up with Smith Parker and Rory Heron. Rory, Smith’s ex-best friend, has been attracted to Shara for years now. Despite the tension and differences between the three students, they all embark on a journey with one sole mission: find Shara.
“I Kissed Shara Wheeler” holds invaluable lessons hidden between humor, a love triangle (more accurately, love rectangle) and well-developed characters. During their search for Shara, Smith, Chloe and Rory find that they have a lot more in common than they previously thought. Moreover, they have things in common with each other’s friends, people they had never spoken to despite having gone to school together for years. Through this, the reader finds out that even the most unexpected people stand against injustice.
Overall, the novel offers a lot of important knowledge, funny lines and a captivating storyline. Made for young readers, there is a lot to take away from the book, not only in the lessons it gives. “I Kissed Shara Wheeler” will help so many LGBTQ+ teens feel seen and less alone. It will give them hope for the future, hope that their small town will not be their fate. This novel is incredibly well written and will bring so many people, young and old alike, joy and faith in a better world, even if it is not the one they grew up in.