BOOKS

Almost nothing ever happens there. Except, there is one thing—the weeklong Practical County Fair, where you can do next to anything you wouldn’t normally do (like eating elephant ears while sipping milkshakes, or catching up with neighbors while wowing the judges with a homemade deep-dish apple crumb pie). But most of the excitement at the county fair stems from the animal shows and Beef (yes, Beef) Princess Beauty Pageant.

This year’s festival is bound to be an exciting one as Libby gets to participate! She and her granddad recently picked out two calves (Piggy and Mule) to raise for the fair, and loves them more each and every passing day. But what happens when Piggy and Mule will later be auctioned off for their meat?

On top of that, Libby’s mom forces her to enter the Beef Princess Beauty Pageant, having to compete against some of the snootiest girls in all of Practical County—the Darling girls. But does Libby have what it takes to stop the Darling girls’ four-year winning streak? She does have the perfect dress, after all.

Michelle Houts’ novel is perfectly funny, touching and entertaining. The book starts out slow, but once you get to know the characters, the story gets rolling making you want to visit your nearest county fair.

If you’ve ever faced losing someone you love, this book is easy to relate to. And if you haven’t? You’re still going to love it.

--Kelly Myslinski

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