Twelve-year-old Foster and her mother have to leave Memphis in a huge rush, with her mom's Elvis-impersonator ex-boyfriend chasing them in his car. After an all-night drive, they end up in a tiny town they've never heard of, with only the belongings they could fit in their car. Culpepper is a quiet little town, without much going on, which really won't work for Foster because she has big dreams. She is going to be the first child chef on TV, with a cooking show like her idol, Sony Kroll. But Foster soon discovers that she's not the only one in Culpepper with dreams of something more. Her friend Macon wants to make documentary films, and he knows all the tough questions to ask, even though he's so short that nobody will take him seriously. Aging and disgraced former Hollywood star Charleena wants to make her way back on to the big screen, and Foster's mom wants to finally come to the front of the stage as the headliner instead of always being the backup singer. Culpepper seems like a safe haven, but Foster and her mom can't hide there forever.

Close to Famous is a wholesome, feel-good story that emphasizes staying true to your dreams. Foster and her mom are battle-weary after they escape her mom's verbally abusive boyfriend, who finally lashed out and gave her mom a black eye. Foster is also hiding a deep insecurity about going into seventh grade being unable to read because of an un-named learning disability. She is a somewhat scared, but hopeful character who truly believes that food made from the heart is good for the soul, and can cure many ills. She expresses herself through her cooking, and readers will be tempted throughout by the descriptions of her soon-to-be famous cupcakes. When Foster finds herself in two dangerous situations, one with an escaped prisoner holding his family hostage and another with her mom's ex-boyfriend threatening her as he looks for her mother, she is able to summon the courage that she's worked hard to build over the course of the story to confront and defuse both situations. In the course of pursuing their dreams, several characters learn to find the heart and inner strength to break through their own personal roadblocks. Young readers will feel inspired and may just want to take up creative baking at the end of this story.

{be the first to share your thoughts about this book}

{Click on a keyword to find other books containing the same subject matter}