A Review of Watch Out, Hollywood! More Confessions of a So-called Middle Child

Watch Out, Hollywood! More Confessions of a So-called Middle Child
by Maria Lennon
Published Aug. 26 2014 by HarperCollins
224 pages
Review copy provided by publisher

Summary from Goodreads

Hilarious tween heroine Charlie C. Cooper—reformed bully, misguided fashionista, and so-called middle child—is back! This sequel to Confessions of a So-called Middle Child will delight fans of Louise Rennison, Mean Girls, and Harriet the Spy.

Charlie's adventures offer a fresh look at middle school, bullying, and mean girls. In Book Two, Charlie navigates sudden celebrity and auditions for a television series, but a little white lie may endanger the one friendship Charlie can truly count on—and her connection to swoon-worthy crush Bobby! Poignant and seriously funny, Charlie's account of her dilemma is one all tweens will relate to.

Charlie knows what it feels like to be stuck in the middle, but it's finally her time to shine. After saving her friend Marta in the old Houdini tunnels of Los Angeles, Charlie's become a local hero, gained sudden celebrity, and *MIGHT* just become a TV star! But will Charlie let her newfound fame go to her head? Watch out, Hollywood!

My Thoughts

I love Charlie! She is a wonderfully spunky, quirky character that you just can't help but root for. After she gets a taste of celebrity, she makes some decisions that seriously affect her friendships. Charlie lies to her good friend Marta to keep Marta from auditioning for a role on a new TV show that Charlie wants desperately. Of course the story is propelled forward by the antagonist Lillian and her sidekicks who interfere with Charlie's plan for stardom and publicly humiliate her at every turn. Charlie is also navigating a new and confusing relationship with Bobby who can't seem to decide where his loyalty lies. 

I think many middle schoolers will be able to relate to Charlie and the predicaments in which she finds herself. 

Charlie is left seemingly friendless and has to figure out a way to prove to Marta that she is indeed a true friend.  

Maria T. Lennon provides another novel filled with emotion and adolescent tension. I think it would make a great book club read for grades 5-8. There are many opportunities for rich discussions about friendship, jealousy, kindness, choices and problem solving. 

The first book in the series:Confessions of a So-called Middle Child is available in paperback and hardcover. 

About the Author

Maria T. Lennon is a graduate of the London School of Economics, a novelist, a screenwriter, and the author of Confessions of a So-called Middle Child, the first book featuring the irrepressible Charlie C. Cooper. When not driving one of her four children to school or volunteering at school libraries, she can be found sitting in a parked car, a café, or a library, writing novels, travel articles, or just passed out. To learn more, and to download her free CCSS-aligned curriculum guide, visit her website: http://confessionsofasocalledmiddlechild.com/.

Read more about Watch Out Hollywood! Confessions of a So-called Middle Child by visiting the other stops on the blog tour.

Wed, Aug 13	The Hiding Spot	http://thehidingspot.blogspot.com/
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Wed, Aug 20	The Children's Book Review	http://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/
Thurs, Aug 21	Kid Lit Frenzy	http://www.kidlitfrenzy.com/
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Tues, Aug 26	Once upon a Story	http://mariaburel.com/
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