Not Your All-American Girl

Name: Not Your All-American Girl
Brand: Scholastic Audio
Availability: InStock
Author: Wendy Wan-Long Shang
ISBN: 9781338637410

Author: Wendy Wan-Long Shang, Madelyn Rosenberg

Narrator: Laurine Price

Unabridged: 5 hr 14 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Scholastic Audio Books

Published: 07/07/2020

Categories: Children's Fiction, Children's Humor, Children's Social Themes, Historical Stories

Synopsis

A multicultural story full of heart and hilarity about what it means to be all-American.Lauren and her best friend, Tara, have always done absolutely everything together. So when they don't have any classes together in sixth grade, it's disastrous. The solution? Trying out for the school play. Lauren, who loves to sing, wonders if maybe, just maybe, she will be the star instead of Tara this time.But when the show is cast, Lauren lands in the ensemble, while Tara scores the lead role. Their teacher explains: Lauren just doesn't look the part of the all-American girl. What audience would believe that she, half-Jewish, half-Chinese Lauren, was the everygirl star from Pleasant Valley, USA?From amidst the ensemble, Lauren tries to support her best friend. But when she can't bring herself to sing anymore, her spot in the play and her friendship are in jeopardy. With the help of a button-making business, the music of Patsy Cline, and her two bickering grandmothers, can Lauren find her voice again?Acclaimed coauthors Madelyn Rosenberg and Wendy Wan-Long Shang return to the 1980s world of Sydney Taylor Honor Book This Is Just a Test with this laugh-out-loud coming-of-age story.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Nev on August 16, 2020

Despite having the best audition for the middle school musical, Lauren isn’t chosen for the lead. Her teacher explains that the audience wouldn’t believe her as an “all-American girl” because she’s half Chinese and half Jewish. This puts a lot of strain on Lauren’s friendship with Tara, who is chose......more

Goodreads review by Darla on June 27, 2020

Five hula-hooping stars to this companion novel to "This Is Just a Test." This time little sister Rachel is the star of the story. She and her BFF Tara have decided to try out for the school musical, "Shake It Up," an all-American tale featuring hula hooping and Elvis Presley. Rachel's audition is s......more

Goodreads review by Katy O. on November 15, 2020

This is the December 2020 NEA Read Across America pick for the theme of Identity and what a pick! I can definitely see pushing this toward kids who love music and theater, specifically grades 4-6. ** I have to admit at first I was skeptical about it being set in 1984 but it was done in such a natural......more

Goodreads review by Alex on September 21, 2020

Welcome to 1984. Lauren Horowitz and Tara Buchanan have always been best friends and lucky enough to be in the same class. But now they are in middle school and the only period they share is lunch. So Tara gets the idea that they should both audition for the school musical Shake It Up, set in 1958 a......more

Goodreads review by Vernon Area on April 13, 2021

Lauren tries out for a musical, Shake It Up. Even though everyone agreed she did an amazing job, the lead role of Brenda Sue goes to Lauren's best friend, Tara. Mrs. Tyndall, the drama teacher leading the musical, didn't pick Lauren because she didn't look like a typical person who would live in Ple......more