“No one writes family and heart and the South like Courtney Stevens. Dress Codes for Small Towns is a poetic love letter to the complexities of teenage identity, and the frustrations of growing up in a place where everything fits in a box—except you. This book cannot be contained.” - David Arnold, New York Times bestselling author of Kids of Appetite
“Courtney Stevens has simply outdone herself. She bats for the fences from the first page, capturing the complicated love of family, the simple love of home, the sustaining love of friendship, the quiet, steady love that comes from faith, the messy love that blooms between two people, and the most difficult love of all: the ability to know and love yourself for who you are. I dare you not to love this book.” - Stephanie Appell, Manager of Books for Young Readers, Parnassus Books
“Courtney Stevens has outdone herself capturing the complicated love of family, the sustaining love of friendship, and the most difficult love of all: the ability to love yourself for who you are. I dare you not to love this book.” - Stephanie Appell, Manager of Books for Young Readers, Parnassus Books
“Courtney Stevens delivers a cherished gift for our middle grades and high school readers. The gift of friendship. The gift of safe places. The gift of love. And, most importantly, the gift of acceptance.” - Julie R. Stokes, Literacy Coordinator, Dalton Middle School
“With Dress Codes for Small Towns, Courtney Stevens firmly reasserts herself as a master storyteller of young adult fiction; crafting stories bursting with humor, heart, and the deepest sort of empathy.” - Jeff Zentner, Morris Award Finalist for The Serpent King
“Courtney Stevens carries us into the best kind of mess: deep friendships, small town Southern gossip, unexpected garage art, and unfolding romantic identity. When I finished Dress Codes for Small Towns, you could hear my smile squeak from way across the room.” - Jaye Robin Brown, author of Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit
“Small-town hijinks and the true-to-life interconnectedness of the characters bring warmth and humor to Stevens’s bighearted contemplation of love, family, and home. - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Stevens shows the courage it often takes to find oneself and then to be true to that. This story could contribute to open discussions about gender and sexuality.” - Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
“With singing prose and a rollicking plot, Stevens presents a rich palette of characters daring to brave familial and societal expectations to become what they’re meant to be. A spirited, timeless tale of teen self-discovery in those tense, formative high school moments, captured with grace, lyricism, and insight.” - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Poignant. Stevens moves the narrative beyond mere small-town drama by building in-depth characters; examining boundaries between friendship and romance, and different generational approaches to religion; and confronting gender and sexual assumptions head-on. [A] beautifully written and nuanced exploration of human connection, self-discovery, and living to the fullest no matter what others might think.” - Booklist (starred review)
“An instant classic. This is The Perks of Being a Wallflower without the angst, for a new generation. A good choice for every collection.” - School Library Journal
“Stevens moves the narrative beyond small-town drama by building in-depth characters; examining boundaries between friendship and romance, and different generational approaches to religion; and confronting gender and sexual assumptions head-on. [A] beautifully written exploration of human connection, self-discovery, and living to the fullest.” - Booklist (starred review)
“Will be highly recommending!” - Teresa Steele of Old Firehouse Books (Fort Collins, CO)
“Billie has always been a handful, a troublemaker if you will, and where Billie is her best friends aren’t far behind. Being a preacher’s daughter, Billie is often under such scrutiny for everything she does or doesn’t do. When she starts developing feelings for her best boy friend, and her best girlfriend, Billie will be forced to confront not only her feelings but those of her community. Will be highly recommending!” - Teresa Steele of Old Firehouse Books (Fort Collins, CO)