cover image Perfect or Not, Here I Come

Perfect or Not, Here I Come

Kristi D. Holl. Atheneum Books, $12.95 (146pp) ISBN 978-0-689-31284-7

An aspiring playwright, Tara is thrilled when her drama about the Underground Railroad is chosen as her sixth grade class's play. Hoping that a perfect production will get her parents' attention, Tara tries to oversee every aspect of the play, offending classmates and almost losing her best friend Amber. But when Tara faces a real dramaher teacher, a school favorite, is losing her job to budget cutsshe learns to work with others to effect happy results for everyone. Miss Dalton is an extremely loving person; by contrast, other adults look about as sensitive as pet rocks. Still, Tara's attempts to gain favor with her parents will show readers an extra dimension to a person who might otherwise be perceived as just a bossy know-it-all. A gently winning book. (8-12)