Last year, we were introduced to Stevie Louise Mason in Drum Roll Please, It’s Stevie Louise, a gloriously warm and funny story from multi-media sensation and bestselling children’s author Tanya Hennessy.
Now, Stevie is back in Spotlight Please, It’s Stevie Louise, the second hilarious adventure in the series. Wherever Stevie goes, high drama is sure to follow…
Stevie Louise is an entrepreneur (that’s like a business person), an entertainer (obviously), and an extrovert on the inside (wait, is this a thing?).
Stevie and the Brooke Street crew are hard-up for cash. Going viral doesn’t last forever, you know, and killer costumes are expensive. To keep their showbiz dream alive, the kids are competing in a local talent quest. But the competition is stiff (I mean, have you ever heard four goats sing acapella?), and Alex has a unicorn horn glued to his forehead for at least the next three weeks.
It’s tough working under these conditions, but Stevie is up for any challenge to save Lunchbox Productions…
If Amy Schumer and Rebel Wilson had a love child, you’d get Tanya Hennessy – comedian, radio announcer, social media sensation, and now, children’s author! Talented and hilarious, Hennessy’s foray into children’s literature with the bestselling Stevie Louise series shows that she is a true multi-media star!
I was an instant fan of Drum Roll Please, It’s Stevie Louise, relating to Stevie in a variety of ways: we’re both introverts, we enjoy reading and watching musicals, and have been embarrassed by our parents – but I guess that’s one thing most of us can relate to.
In Spotlight Please, It’s Stevie Louise, the focus is on Stevie’s friend Alex, a queer child, as he and the rest of the Brooke Street crew navigate the ups and downs of trying to win a seriously competitive talent show to get the funding they need to save Lunchbox Productions. But don’t worry, Stevie is still very much present with all her sassiness and funny quirks.
The Brooke Street crew members are each so different yet all so similar. I’m sure there are certain characters every kid can relate to in some way – whether they’re like them or want to befriend them. With the focus on Stevie and Alex in this instalment, they show perseverance and persistence, and they both step up when they need to while always staying true to themselves.
Like book #1, Spotlight Please, It’s Stevie Louise is assistive and targets readers aged 7+. Illustrations by Leigh Hedstrom are vivid enough to help readers visualise characters and emotions but minimal enough for imaginative freedom. And Hennessy’s stylistic word choices highlight key emotions and names that help readers keep track of the storyline and characters.
If you’re a fan of fun and hilarious fast-paced junior fiction, then this series is one to add to your list!
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