Jules Bloom, a newly discovered seven-year-old actress is thrilled when she lands the part of a spunky little sister in a sit-com pilot. Getting the part is only half the battle, however, because before she can be on TV, Jules has to survive a read-through with the cast, and the tough choice between filming the show and participating in her class moving up ceremony. At school, Jules must also face the possibility that Charlotte, her former best friend, might be moving away, and that Elinor, her new best friend, might still be homesick for England.
I really loved the first Starring Jules book, and I have to admit that this second one doesn't have quite the same magic. The story is certainly well-written, and Jules is the perfect combination of regular kid and budding diva, but there was just something about that first book that I didn't experience as strongly this time around. This often happens to me with series, though. The second book, no matter how wonderfully written, is rarely as good as the first.
That said, I like the dilemmas Ain introduces into Jules's life this time around. I like the way she presents the reality of becoming a child actress, showing that sometimes Jules will have to sacrifice events in her regular life to allow room for her acting. I like the complicated feelings Jules has about Charlotte, and the fact that she sometimes has “Charlotte-aches” before going to school to face her. Even more than that, I love Jules's mom, who is so level-headed, patient, and just good at understanding her daughter's unique needs and personality. It's so rare to find a mom in a children's book who is both believable and likable, but Mrs. Bloom is definitely one of those, and I enjoyed her in the same way I enjoy reading about Clementine's parents.
Many little girls dream of becoming actresses, and this book gives them an opportunity to do so vicariously, but without overly glamorizing the life of a TV star. Jules is a regular kid to whom most kids can easily relate, and she just happens to be an actress, which makes her story appealing to all kids, whether they want to act or not. For other chapter books exploring the same themes, check out Calvin Coconut: Extra Famous by Graham Salisbury, Mallory and Mary Ann Take New York by Laurie Friedman, Libby of High Hopes by Elise Primavera, and the Friends for Keeps series by Julie Bowe.
I received a digital ARC of Starring Jules: In Drama Rama from Scholastic via NetGalley.
For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.
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