A cheery biography of the pop superstar, this book starts with Chappell Roan’s childhood, when she was known as Kayleigh Rose Amstutz. We see her early talent for music, including performing and writing her own songs, and watch her navigate the ups and downs of finding success in the music industry (including a detour as a coffee barista when her now-hit “Pink Pony Club” didn’t find immediate fame).
She kept composing as her music became popular, and “Her new songs were all about being yourself and loving who you want to love.” Her style includes “whimsical outfits and over-the-top makeup,” and she “encourages her fans to dress up, too,” we learn, as the illustrations show several fans in rainbow-themed outfits.
Chappell also helps others by donating “to organizations that provide support to people in the LGBTQ+ community,” and she asks local drag queens to perform before her shows. “Chappell knows everyone should have equal rights, no matter who they are or who they love,” the book asserts—although it oddly omits any mention that Chappell herself is part of the LGBTQ+ community (a coyness also found in the Little Golden Book biographies of Billy Porter and Lady Gaga).
Some of the information in the book feels unnecessary—the fact that she set a record for the biggest crowd at Lollapalooza won’t mean anything to young readers who likely don’t know what Lollapalooza is. Nevertheless, the book also effectively conveys important lessons from Chappell’s life for young readers: she “never gave up on her dream,” stayed “true to herself,” and reminds fans that “they deserve to be accepted exactly as they are.” Young fans should enjoy this title, even if their adults may need to fill in some of the details about Chappell’s own identity.
