Catch a Falling Star

September 1, 2014
Nothing ever happens in Little, Calif.—nothing, that is, until a famous movie star comes to town to shoot a film. Much to Carter Moon’s dismay: she would much rather have her small town back and be done with all the Hollywood nonsense. It means nothing to her. Unlike her best friend Chloe, who knows all about young Adam Jakes, a child star gone wrong who has infiltrated the town, and soon Carter’s life. Adam’s people want to clean up his battered image, and a young, wholesome girlfriend from town seems like just the thing to accomplish it. They offer Carter an obscene amount of money to pose as Adam’s girlfriend while he stays. Carter needs the money, and doesn’t care a whit about Adam until they start spending more time with each other. Is he just another pretty Hollywood face or a real guy Carter could actually fall for? Spencer has an excellent voice for Carter—young and innocent yet mature and skeptical. There are occasions when Spencer misses an opportunity to realize Carter’s utter disdain for the celebrity lifestyle that would have resulted in a laugh and deeper insight to Carter’s dilemma about becoming a cog in the Hollywood machine. A Scholastic hardcover. Ages 12–up. A Scholastic/Point hardcover.

August 1, 2014

Gr 7 Up-Not much happens in Little, California, most of the time, but this summer is bound to be different. Teen idol Adam Jakes is arriving to film a movie. His manager meets 17-year-old Carter Moon and thinks the wholesome small-town girl could help repair Jakes's sullied image and he asks her to pose as his girlfriend. Carter is not interested but finally agrees to the plan to earn some much-needed money for her family. Carter is a smart, contented young woman, and Adam is the worldly outsider. What starts out as a PR stunt turns into a romance. But how can their different worlds coexist? This far-fetched tale ends up shining owing to the strong, grounded characters and will be a fun summer listen for teens who have an interest in the romantic. Narrator Erin Spencer brings credibility to the entire cast of characters. The plot does slow down in spots but not enough to distract young listeners. Andrew Eiden voices the blog entries, making them pop. This audiobook will delight those who are looking for a great beach listen.-Joan Kindig, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA

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