Close to Famous

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bauer, Joan. 2011. Close to Famous. New York: Viking. ISBN 9780670012824

PLOT SUMMARY

Foster McFee and her mother are on the run from Elvis when they stop in the small town of Culpepper.  They don’t plan on staying, but Foster and her mother quickly carve out a place in the town.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

After reading this book, I fell in love with Joan Bauer’s writing style.  This story is witty, fresh, and engaging.  Foster is such a likeable character that I was completely hooked before the end of the first chapter.  This book will mostly appeal to girls, but its content could apply to both genders.

Foster and her mother are on the run from her mother’s abusive boyfriend.  Readers quickly learn that Foster’s short life has not been easy.  Her father died in Iraq years before and she struggles with his death.  She also has a learning disability.  She tries to overcome these obstacles by excelling as a baker. 

Despite the fun minor character and cute plot lines, the real focus of this story is Foster’s struggle to learn to read.  Foster becomes unlikely friends with Miss Charleena, a movie star, who works with her on her reading.

Bauer is very respectful with her explanations of Foster’s struggles.  Foster may struggle with reading, but like everyone, she has other talents.  Bauer has created an accurate and respectful example of what life with a learning disability is like.

I highly recommend this book.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Horn Book Guide: “On the run from Mom's ex-boyfriend, twelve-year-old cupcake-baker Foster McFee and her mother wind up in Culpepper, West Virginia. There, an odd assortment of characters come together like the ingredients for one of Foster's favorite confections. Foster's engaging first-person voice and interior monologue, the solid characterization, and the nimble, fast-paced prose are the quality ingredients of this tale cooked to perfection.”

School Library Journal: “The story is fast paced, and readers will be rooting for likable and gutsy Foster, who expresses her views on life in baking metaphors. The quirky residents of Culpepper are equally believable and appealing. Youngsters will find this story tastier than a batch of Foster's triple chocolate cupcakes.”

Publisher’s Weekly: “Bauer skillfully brings readers to the heart of Culpepper with rich depictions of a contemporary small town and its residents and rhythms. The characters' eventual triumphs are the type that this author's fans eat up.”

CONNECTIONS

Lisa Greenwald. My Life in Pink and Green. ISBN 9780810989849

Heather Hepler. The Cupcake Queen. ISBN 9780142416686