Thursday, March 12, 2015

Reality Natalie by Katie Sparks


 Reality Natalie
 by Katie Sparks
Firedrake Books LLC 
150 pages
  Recommended Ages: 8 to 13









When the most popular kids’ TV show, Kidz Konnection, decides to hold auditions for a guest host spot, the show’s BIGGEST fan decides to audition.
[Cue Natalie Greyson]
Eleven-year-old Natalie is determined to overcome her habit of turning into a tongue-tied, air ball burping, runny-nose disaster whenever something embarrassing happens in front of an audience so she can audition for the coveted role. As the show’s biggest fan, no one could possibly deserve it more than her!
Except a GIANT obstacle stands in her way: her parents deny her permission to audition.
To make matters even worse, Natalie’s naturally talented best friend, Kailyn, decides to audition too, and will stop at nothing to win. With their friendship suddenly in question, Natalie turns to her blog, In A “Nat” Shell, to vent her frustrations, but Natalie’s emotional outpouring and lies only creates more anxiety for herself. With the stakes high, Natalie goes against her parent’s wishes and decides to audition, but Kailyn has her own secret plan to be Number One, even if it means doing so at the expense of her best friend. Can Natalie find a way out of the drama and into the spotlight? Or will the competitive pressure cause her to lose her ultimate dream along with her best friend?




MY TIDBITS

If you're looking for a girl power with tons of spunk and energy, this is it. Natalie is an eleven-year-old who knows what she wants (or at least, thinks she does), and when she puts her mind to it, nothing will get in her way. Her two best friends are as hyper as she is, making for an amazing trio that keeps even the reader on their toes.

This book is written at an extremely fast pace. Dialogue is the key runner here, and it is so jammed packed with fun, that I had to smile most of the way through. If that wasn't enough, Nat throws in her blog entries and other tidbits, making sure not a second of boredom has time to sneak in. Despite this full-tilt ride, there is a message. Natalie's over-determination gets her in trouble, and she finds her little lies and plans catching up with her faster than she can battle them. 

Summed up, this is a cute, fast-paced story perfect for girls ages 8-12. 


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