Leah Johnson

Loudmouth Books

In June 2023, after the state of Indiana passed a law banning many books from school libraries, Johnson announced plans to open Loudmouth Books, an independent bookshop dedicated to "highlighting banned books and uplifting the work of marginalized authors." A GoFundMe campaign to support the store's start-up costs raised $16,570 toward its goal of $10,000. The bookstore opened in September 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Personal life Johnson resides in Indianapolis.

Time included You Should See Me in a Crown on their list of the "100 Best Young Adult Books of All Time". Kirkus Reviews and Publishers Weekly included it on their list of the best young adult books of 2020. The following year, the Young Adult Library Services Association named the novel among their top 10 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers. They also included it on the following lists: Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults, Best Fiction for Young Adults, and Rise: A Feminist Book Project.

Booklist included Ellie Engle Saves Herself! on their list of the top ten science fiction and fantasy novels for youth published in 2023. The following year, the American Library Association included it on their Rainbow List.

Works

You Should See Me in a Crown. United States, Scholastic Inc , 2 June 2020, print and digital Rise to the Sun. United States, Scholastic , 6 July 2021, print and digital Ellie Engle Saves Herself!. United States, Disney-Hyperion 2 May 2023, print and digital Bree Boyd Is a Legend. United States, Disney-Hyperion. . 4 March 2025. Print and digital. There's Always Next Year. United States, Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR). . 2 December 2025. Print and digital.