Take It from the Top

Eowyn is excited about going to Lamplighter Lake Summer Camp. She and her best friend, Jules, met at Lamplighter six years earlier, and all they really want to do is musical theatre, especially to play the leads in Wicked. But when Jules arrives, she is more like the Ice Princess than Glinda. Eowyn can’t figure out why Jules is freezing her out, but it sure isn’t helping Eowyn get over the debilitating stage fright she has been fighting for a couple of years. Expectations are high for her because her late mother was a big star, and Eowyn’s brother is starring in a Broadway hit now. Can these two former besties figure out their differences in time to salvage their summer?

Author Claire Swinarski has written a great middle-grade story with a little mystery, a little romance, and a LOT of pre-teen drama, both on and off the stage. The story is told from the viewpoints of Eowyn and Jules in different chapters. The characters are all well-rounded and completely believable, the dialogue is spot on for the age of the kids, and the writing is excellent. MG readers will love this.