Drama
2012
- children's fiction
- theater, fiction
- mississippi, fiction
- brothers and sisters, fiction
- friendship, fiction
- comic books, strips, etc.
- teenage boys
- theater
- teenage girls
- middle schools
The story
Callie loves theater. And while she would totally try out for her middle school's production of Moon over Mississippi, she can't really sing. Instead she's the set designer for the drama department's stage crew, and this year she's determined to create a set worthy of Broadway on a middle-school budget. But how can she, when she doesn't know much about carpentry, ticket sales are down, and the crew members are having trouble working together? Not to mention the onstage AND offstage drama that occurs once the actors are chosen. And when two cute brothers enter the picture, things get even crazier!
What it’s like
Bright, saturated color with flat, cartoon-clean panels, the kind of graphic novel where a single sunny page can carry a whole afternoon. Think sunlit school hallways, pastel-streaked sunsets over a Mississippi-flavored town, and the warm chaos of a stage crew sawing, painting and arguing under work lights. The sound is implied rather than heard: squeaking sneakers, rehearsal chatter, the rattle of hammers, the hush before curtain. Vibe is breezy, bubbly and tender, with a cozy after-school energy, well suited to a lazy weekend, a comfort reread, or a quick sit on the couch with a mug of cocoa. The pace is brisk and episodic, with scenes that tumble from one small crisis to the next, and the emotional register stays warm and funny, with friendship wobbles, sibling bickering and a first flutter of crush handled gently. The arc follows a young girl learning to lead among peers who don't always cooperate. Intensity is very low: no violence, no gore, and only mild teenage romantic tension. Written for middle-grade readers and anyone wanting a gentle, sweet, theater-loving story.
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