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Books That Take You There: The Theater

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I fancied myself a theater kid in my youth, which is crazy to think about considering how anxious and self-conscious I can be as an adult.  What you couldn't pay me to do now, I wanted to do and did for free as a kid!  Even though I no longer wish to grace the stage with my presence upon it, one of my favorite things to do is see live theater.  Whether you want to be the star, you're more comfortable working behind the scenes, or you just enjoy watching the talents of others, you're sure to find an enjoyable read about the highs and lows of the theater in the books below.  

San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2023. Fiction. 307 pages.

When 12 year-olds Shira and Esther first meet they can't believe their eyes --they look practically identical!  What's not identical are the girls' hopes and dreams.  Shira wants nothing more than to perform on the stage, but her rabbi father thinks she should focus on her spirituality.  Esther dreams of studying the Torah, but her mother, a stage performer, wants Esther to use her free time to perform.  Can the two girls make a switch and live out their dreams?

By Kalena Miller
New York: Delacorte Press, 2023. Fiction. 264 pages.

12-year-old Shannon Carter loves going to summer camp with her two best friends, but she prefers to stay firmly behind the scenes. However, when the director overhears her singing, he encourages her to audition. When she unexpectedly gets the exact role her friend wanted, friendship problems ensue. Add to that Shannon's struggles with OCD, changing familial relationships, and a boy that's pretty cute and you have one crazy summer.
 
Forsooth
By Jimmy Matejek-Morris
Minneapolis: Carolrhoda Books, 2023. Fiction. 353 pages.

With 13-year-old Calvin's inauspicious and truly embarrassing foray into acting in his school play, he can't wait for a quiet summer recovering from the humiliation of it all. But when he learns that his best friend, Kennedy, is abandoning him for a New York City performing arts school, all thoughts of hiding go out the window --he's got to find something that will convince her to stay! Calvin's friend worries, his burgeoning crush on a boy (and how his religious parents will handle the news), and trying to handle frequent anxiety attacks makes for one complicated summer.

Maya Plays the Part
By Calyssa Erb
Toronto: Annick Press, 2024. Fiction. 216 pages.

11-year-old Maya is obsessed with musicals, so when she gets the chance to attend the summer musical program at the local community theater, Maya jumps at the chance. When her dreams of stardom are dashed, however, the rest of the summer seems doomed to follow the downhill spiral. How will she deal with her disappointment, her best friend's move, her parents always working, and the ongoing struggle of how to handle her autism diagnosis?

The Dreamatics
By Michelle Cuevas
New York: Rocky Pond Books, 2023. Fiction. 311 pages.

10-year-old Luna has an entire theater troupe known as the Dreamatics carrying out her weird and wonderful dreams each night. There's a director, set and costume designers, and of course, actors. The Dreamatics watch Luna's daily endeavors in the real world until one day, disaster strikes. This calamity allows the Dreamatics to be taken over by a theater troupe that only produce nightmares. Can the Dreamatics find a way to fight the intruders and help Luna heal with good dreams?















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