The Queen of Kentucky

Fourteen-year-old Kentucky girl Ricki Jo Winstead, who would prefer to be called Ericka, thank you very much, is eager to shed her farmer's daughter roots and and fit in with the popular crowd at her small-town high school. She trades her Bible for Seventeen magazine, buys new "sophisticated" clothes, and strikes up an unlikely flirtation with the freshman class's resident bad boy. She's on top of the world, even though her best friend and neighbor, Luke, say she misses "plain old Ricki Jo."
Caught between being a country girl and a wannabe country club girl, Ricki Jo begins to forget who she truly is: someone who doesn't care what people think and who wouldn't let a good-looking guy walk all over her.
After a serious incident on Luke's farm, Ricki Jo realizes that being a true friend is more important than being popular... and the one boy who matters most has been next door all along.

Alecia Whitaker grew up on a small farm in Cynthiana, KY. She is the author of The Queen of Kentucky and the Wildflower series, as well as an actress with appearances on several television programs and commercials. She packs her schedule with school and library visits each year, near or far: www.aleciawhitaker.com/bookings. She currently lives in New York City with her husband and three children.