Many of Brie Hutchens's fondest memories are of sitting on the couch with her mother after school and watching the soap opera General Hospital. Brie is a bit of an expert on soap operas and her dream is to someday be an actor.
As an eighth grader, Brie will be deciding what school to attend for high school. To further her acting dream, she hopes to audition and be accepted to the local performing arts school. Unfortunately, the school is expensive and Brie's father recently lost his job. He is currently working as a custodian at Brie's Catholic school which earns her a discount on tuition, but that won't help if she earns a spot at the arts high school.
Two other issues occupy Brie's mind. She would love to be chosen to crown Mary during the spring crowning ceremony, but that will require writing the winning essay which means Brie will need to really step up her current school performance. In a conversation with her mother, she led her mom to believe she had already been chosen, but it's far from a done deal. Brie is also struggling with her attraction to Kennedy another girl in her class. Unsure about her feelings, Brie is caught exploring the internet in search of answers. Did her mother really see the pictures of a soap stars boobs Brie had up on her computer? What will her family's reaction be if she tells them she likes girls?
Nicole Melleby is also the author of HURRICANE SEASON. Her main character Brie's familiar struggles will definitely speak to middle grade readers searching for their places in the world. Fast-paced with continuous references to popular soap operas, IN THE ROLE OF BRIE HUTCHENS is great addition to classroom and library collections.
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