Limelight
Written by Andrew Keenan-Bolger
Published by Penguin Workshop
The only thing standing between Danny and his dreams is…everything.
For fifteen years, Danny Victorio has kept his head down, kept his mouth shut, and kept everyone out. But an audition for Manhattan’s most prestigious arts school offers him a chance to escape Staten Island—and his crumbling family—for good.
If he doesn’t screw everything up.
At LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts, Danny is thrust into a world of fierce talent and even fiercer ambition. As he navigates overwhelming expectations, the ghosts of his past, and, for the first time, real friendship, Danny can’t shake the question: Where do I belong…if I belong at all?
Set against the gritty, vibrant backdrop of 1996 New York City—where peep-show palaces were giving way to Disney stores, “Club Kids” ruled the nightlife scene, and a new musical called Rent was driving teens to sleep on the seediest sidewalks of Times Square in hopes of a ticket—Limelight is a story about discovering your voice, finding your family, and figuring out who, and where, you’re really meant to be.
Primary ISBN: 9780593889244
Publication Date: February 2026
Available As: Hardcover, Audiobook, eBook
Young Adult, Age 12 or older
Community Represented: Filipino/Filipino American
Themes: Arts, Coming of Age, Cross-Group Friendship, Discrimination: Gender and Sexual, Family Relationship: Parents, Format: Audiobook, Identity: Exploration, LGBTQIA+, Mental Health, Trauma & Healing
Setting: United States (New York City NY)
Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: Unknown Arrival
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