Maeve on the Red Carpet [Paperback]

The Beacon Street Girls series is part of a brand designed to empower "tweens", and help them with the transition from "toys and boys." The books feature five middle school age best friends, all from diverse backgrounds, and with distinct interests. They go to school on Beacon Street in Brookline, MA.

The books are (according to the publisher) "shaped by leading experts in adolescent development and current research on how to positively impact girls' self-esteem." Although I'm generally a bit leery of books that try explicitly to get across a particular message, I like the Beacon Street Girls books. The characters are well-drawn and realistic. They make mistakes, and learn from them. They suffer from pesky younger brothers, difficulty with math, and divorcing parents, among other ordinary tribulations. Despite their differences, they are loyal to each other. And their stories are fun!

This installment, part of a series of "adventure" titles that each feature only one of the five Beacon Street Girls, sends Maeve to movie camp. It reminds me a tiny bit of Noel Streatfeild's books (Theater Shoes, Ballet Shoes, etc., though with quite a bit more privilege). Near the start of what promises to be a boring school vacation week, with all of her friends away, Maeve learns that her father has arranged to host a New York Film Academy film camp in the family's theater. A wealthy sponsor has offered to pay for improvements to the theater, and a famous Hollywood director will be leading the camp. Maeve is over the ceiling thrilled, despite that fact that her annoying younger brother, Sam, will also be attending the camp.

When camp begins, Maeve learns a lot, works hard, and is a bit star-struck by the pampered daughter of the wealthy sponsor (who, in an amusing throwaway joke, knows the famous "Venice Doubletree"). The other kids are more down-to-earth, though the Director's son turns out to have real acting experience. Through her interactions with the other campers, and their parents, Maeve learns some hard lessons about trust, friendship, and betrayal. I must admit that I saw the betrayal coming a mile off, and I think that many readers will, too. But the point isn't so much the betrayal itself, but the way that Maeve reacts to it, and eventually bounces back.

I also enjoyed Maeve's relationship with her little brother. He follows her around with a movie camera and drives her crazy, but also stands by her in unexpected ways. Here's one of my favorite exchanges:

""Good," Sam answered. "Because I think you're the best actress in the whole world!"

I looked at Mom, who just shrugged. Sometimes little brothers could surprise you by saying the nicest thing and make you feel totally guilty for ever thinking of them as an annoying pest. Then other times...

"Last one to the theater's a rotten egg! Haha, that's you, Maeve," Sam suddenly cried."

I think that fans of the BSG books will enjoy this installment. It's nice to have a chance to focus on just one of the girls, and get to know Maeve and her family a bit better. And Maeve is fun to spend time with. She's overly dramatic, and annoyingly obsessed with her appearance, but she's not afraid to work hard or to admit her mistakes. And her genuine enthusiasm for movies is irresistible. The details about how a movie is made are interesting, too, and should be a hit with kids who are film junkies. I give Maeve on the Red Carpet four stars!

This book review was originally published on my blog, Jen Robinson's Book Page, on June 25, 2007.

Traits you could use to describe me:
1) An actress
2) Top favorite actress is Audrey Hepburn
3) Dream roles include Eliza Doolittle in "My Fair Lady"
4) Loves classic movies (and quoting from movies)

The main character in Maeve on the Red Carpet shares each of these traits with me. As I read, it was a little startling - I mean, is this author stalking me or something?!

If you have any of the above things in common with me and Maeve, you will probably like this book. It's really cute, fun, and fast-paced (albeit predictable). The book is pure fluff - if Harry Potter is a four-course meal, this is only cotton candy. But since I adore stories about filming and aspiring actresses, I adored this book. Especially since the heroine and I had so much in common. ;)

Everyone knows that Maeve's dream is to be a famous actress someday, so when her father, who owns the Movie House, tells her that the New York Film Academy will be running a summer film camp right in their theater, Maeve feels ready to explode from happiness. Their new business partner is Walter von Krupcake, whose television commercials star not only him, but his daughter, Madeline. Imagine attending film camp with a real actress!

With the investment of the "Krupcake King," the Film Academy will be sprucing up their Movie House and bringing in the world renowned film director Artemia Aaron to direct the camp...as well as her son, the child star Apollo Aaron, who will also be taking part in the camp activities. This chance to work directly with true professionals is the opportunity that Maeve has been waiting for, and she can hardly wait.

Right from the first day of camp, Maeve is impressed with Madeline and the glamorous lifestyle she leads, so she's honored when Madeline chooses her to be her new friend. While Madeline has a gigantic house, hunky servants, a limo to ride around in, and a seemingly endless supply of expensive, collector's-item dresses, Maeve figures that she can learn a thing or two from her new friend.

Luckily, Madeline really seems to value Maeve's natural talent and big ideas on what they can accomplish in the camp, so Maeve feels no hesitancy in sharing her time and effort. But what happens when the student movie can only have one star, and both girls want the position?

This BEACON STREET GIRLS special adventure, starring Maeve, feels appropriate on all levels when taking Maeve's character into consideration. With a dramatic premise, a rather obvious emotional conflict, and an over-the-top finale, regular readers of the series will enjoy watching Maeve turn the tide of the situation to her own favor.

Reviewed by: Allison Fraclose

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 3 reviews  4.7 out of 5 stars