Kaya Morgan's Crowning Achievement

Tew, Jill. Kaya Morgan's Crowning Achievement

April 1st 2025 by Freedom Fire

E ARC Provided by Netgalley.com

Kaya is very excited to be attending a Renaissance fair two week camp near her home in Georgia. When her father was alive, he would work at the fair as the lead archer, but since his death, Kaya has missed the event. Her fondest dream is to earn the role of Queen, and knows that this would make her father proud, since he always supported her, buying her princess dresses from the time she was young. Her mother is a bit harried, having to work double shifts as a nurse and take care of Kaya and well as her older brother, Kev. Jr., who is starting college in the fall, so doesn't have time to give Kaya the proper regal hairdo. Her friend Tyler Nomura is going as well, and hopes to be a knight. When Tyler and Kaya get to camp, they are a little worried that the only other participants are from a fancy private school, and when blonde Jessie is crowned queen for the first week, it adds insult to injury that Kaya is training to be a jester. It's not that she hates working with Barry, who knew her father, and it is interesting that Kaya's father started out as a jester as well. It's just not Kaya's dream, even though she is quite good in the role. She fights a bit with Jessie and her friend Wren, although Jessie seems nice. For the second week, Kaya does get to intern with the queen, and puts her own spin on things by including a bit of archery with her skit. At the final showcase, the camp director brings in board members, and the children find out that unless the board provides more monetary support, there won't be another camp. The racist behavior of the camp director, who tells Kaya that she's just not "suited" to the role, brings out details about the difficulties her father had being accepted by the others in the fair, and makes Kev, Jr. angry. WHen the director tries to use a video of Kaya to promote diversity at the camp even though there really isn't any, Kaya knows she needs to do something. Kaya works with Tyler, as well as Jessie and the others, to show the world that the Renaissance fair should be more inclusive. 

Strengths: I think Kaya would get along quite well with Allen's Mya Tibbs. Both girls know exactly what they want, and aren't afraid to stand up for themselves in order to get it. In doing so, they sometimes rub other people the wrong way. Jessie and her friends ended up being fairly nice and helpful, but Kaya's reaction to them caused them to include Tyler in some of their plans but not Kaya. The family's interest in "geeky" pursuits, and the prejudice they face because of them, will resonate especially with the Black nerd community who are starting to get some attention in books like Baptiste's Boy 2.0. I especially liked the details about archery, juggling, and Kaya's hair dos. 
Weaknesses: While the director's behavior near the end of the book is certainly inexcusably racist, when Kaya was first chosen as jester, she didn't seem to have any real reason to be upset, other than she wanted the part and didn't get it. When she turned out to be very good at the role, I thought this would take a turn ala 1950s teen romances where dreams are dashed, but better dreams emerge.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Jamieson's All's Faire in Middle School but want to see more knights and princesses of color. I can't think of any other middle grade books that include this cultural phenomenon. While I certainly had lots of friends who were involved in this (which is why I know all about how to care for homemade chain mail), my students haven't picked up All's Faire in Middle School frequently, even though it's a graphic novel.