Like a seed dropped by a sky bird, Wicked: For Good has dropped into theatres! For part one, we wrote a blog about some wickedly good teen musicals. This year we wondered, what teen books would the main characters read?
Elphaba would defyingly gravitate towards a female lead willing to burn systems of oppression to the ground. And we think she’d especially appreciate the way Chuck Tingle uses supernatural phenomena to literalize the horror of youth LGBTQ+ conversion therapy in Camp Damascus.
Galinda lives a life of sparkle and would connect with Raffy’s penchant for rhinestoning his cosplay in Ryan La Sala’s Be Dazzled. Galinda may not understand all its geek culture references, but the scandalacious friendship drama, couture costume making, and quick-witted humor will keep her attention.
The Wizard probably wouldn't read Death in the Jungle (he'd rely on an incorrect AI summary instead), but those that do will find similarities between him and cult leader Jim Jones. Candace Fleming’s survivor-forward narrative details how one man manipulated hundreds of people to give up their possessions and their lives for him. This is a non-fiction book that reads like a thriller novel.
Madame Morrible is the shadow force behind many of the Wizard’s schemes. Were she to expand her geopolitical ambitions and weather speciality to include outer space, she would be fascinated by Who Owns the Moon?. Cynthia Levinson and Jennifer Swanson's book explores pressing questions about corporate space exploration, international relations, and public policy.
Nessarose has a major crush on Boq, but because he doesn't reciprocate her affection, she curses him. Perhaps reading Interabled, a collection of real-life interabled relationships, would give Nessa perspective on healthy relationships. Interabled is written by Shane and Hannah Burcaw, more commonly known by their internet personality Squirmy and Grubs. Shane is also the author of Strangers Assume My Girlfriend Is My Nurse.
Fiyero started out as someone who danced through life. But after meeting Elphaba, he's become more aware of privilege and injustice. As part of that educational journey, he'd jeté into Karen Valby's The Swans of Harlem, which traces the legacy of The Dance Theatre of Harlem and its black ballet dancers.
These recommendations represent only six of the characters from Wicked. What would you suggest for the others?
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