Review: Tara Takes the Stage

Title: Tara Takes the Stage
Author: Tamsin Lane
Genre: Middle Grade
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Canada
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Release Date: May 8, 2018
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

There are many ways this story can go. YOU decide what happens next. And if you don’t like how it ends? Just start again! The Yes No Maybe So series is an interactive reading experience about friendships, family, and all the feelings.

Every day before and after school, Tara Singh helps her parents at their Indian sweet shop, but the only business Tara is interested in is show business. When a local theater announces a casting call for The Wizard of Oz, Tara is determined to wear the ruby slippers.

As she prepares for the audition, Tara is distracted by some unexpected drama: There is Rohan, the delivery boy her parents hired. Hiro, her forever crush, who wants to rehearse with her. And Desmond, a shy theater nerd who has started lighting up her heart. Can Tara win the part and get the guy?

You have the power to choose what happens…and the chance to choose differently next time!

Review:

This is a great story. It is similar to a “choose your own adventure” book, but it has less choices. The story takes two paths: either Tara will go to her audition or she will go to a wedding. So the endings are limited, and both positive.

I liked that Tara was conflicted between helping her family and following her dreams of acting. This is a very real conflict. However, I had one problem with the story. Tara auditions for the role of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. When she was auditioning and talking about the part, no one mentioned that Tara is Indian, so she doesn’t look like the character of Dorothy. It was great for Tara that she didn’t face this obstacle, but I don’t think it’s realistic. In real life, someone probably would have commented on Tara playing a role that is usually played by a white girl.

I really enjoyed this story. It’s a great middle grade book!

Author: jilljemmett

Jill lives in Toronto, Canada. She has studied English, Creative Writing, and Publishing. Jill is the creator and content producer of Jill’s Book Blog, where she has published a blog post every day for the last four years, including 5-7 book reviews a week. She can usually be found with her nose in a book. View all posts by jilljemmett