Miss Liberty

Dumplin' meets the small-town drama of Gilmore Girls in this sparkling debut from Erin Moonyeen Haley.

Twelve-year-old Savvy’s only ambition is to be chosen as Miss Liberty in her town’s glittertastic Fourth of July parade. In her mind, being Miss Liberty is key to getting everything you want for the rest of your life. And Savvy’s anxious mind needs to know what’s going to happen for the rest of her life, just like she needs to know what the weather is going to be like every single day. Unfortunately, Savvy is only a dancer in the kick line, while her older sister, Levi, is the glamorous Miss Liberty for the third year in a row.

But this year, Levi seems committed to taking down the parade and crushing Savvy’s future dreams, for reasons that neither Savvy nor the town can understand.

Only one thing is for sure: It’s up to Savvy to bring the glitter back to her beloved parade, her town, and her sister.

One parade. Two sisters. And a town that doesn’t know what’s about to hit it.

• Sisters at Odds: Savvy has always looked up to her glamorous older sister, Levi. But when Levi starts sabotaging the town’s beloved parade, Savvy has to wonder if her hero has become the villain.
• Anxiety and Ambition: For twelve-year-old Savvy, being crowned Miss Liberty is the only way to quiet the anxious hamster in her head. But first, she has to save the glittertastic tradition her sister is trying to crush.
• Small Town Secrets: The whole town of Liberté is baffled by Levi’s behavior. It’s up to Savvy to uncover the real reason her sister is trading her crown for a cause.
• Finding Your Voice: To bring the sparkle back to the Fourth of July, Savvy will have to step out of her sister’s shadow and become a hero in her own right.

Erin Moonyeen Haley has been, by turns, an educator, a dancer, a dance instructor, and a bookseller. After graduating with a degree in writing for film and television from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Erin spent time in Hollywood working at A-list talent agencies and production companies. Today, she’s a librarian who also teaches English, history, and art history at a Philadelphia-area school for gifted students.