Ruby Parker Soap Star [Paperback]

Rowan Coleman (Author)

Book Description

Child soap-star Ruby Parker discovers fame isn't all it's cracked up to be! Ruby Parker has been acting in the glamorous soap, Kensington Heights, for most of her life. She is stunned when she overhears the script writers discussing whether to kill her character off, or to replace Ruby with a more beautiful actress! She has always felt like the ugly duckling compared to her stunning co-stars, but now more than ever she sees that everyone is disappointed how the cute, chubby dimpled four year old has morphed into a lumpy pimpled fourteen year old. Ruby is feeling more self-conscious than ever, and to top it all off, she discovers she's got to have her first screen kiss -- with the oh-so-gorgeous Justin de Souza, the soap's hunk. What with dealing with fame on a national level, having her first ever kiss in front of cameras and dealing with everyone's jealousy at stage school, Ruby doesn't think things can get any harder. Then her parents give her the most unexpected (and worst) news yet!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6–9—When she was six, Ruby Parker landed a part on a popular TV soap opera. Now the 13-year-old spends summers taping the show, and in the fall she returns to a performing-arts school where other students are jealous of her career. Otherwise, she is a typical teen. She has a crush on a boy who ignores her, she giggles and schemes with her best friend, and she worries about the increasing tension between her parents. When Mum and Dad announce that they are splitting up, Ruby is devastated. With the help of friends, familiar and unexpected, she comes to terms with the change and learns more about herself in the process. The book is front-loaded with exposition, but, once established, the story clips along at a good pace. The writing is realistic; the language is suitably naive and particularly poignant when Ruby struggles to explain her feelings about the divorce. Her growth is demonstrated best in responses to fan letters sprinkled throughout the book. Early on, she tells the girls who write to her about their problems that things will be OK, and that they should talk to a trusted adult. The last letter sensitively acknowledges her pain, and she admits that although she doesn't know when or how it will go away, she trusts that it will. The happy ending isn't that everything works out the way she hopes; it's that everything works out in other ways, and she comes to terms with it.—Amelia Jenkins, Juneau Public Library, AK
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

On the outside, 13-year-old British TV soap actress Ruby Parker seems to love her life. She is famous, and she attends a posh performing-arts school. Inside, however, she doesn't feel like a star. Her parents are separating, her classmates talk about--rather than to--her, and she is facing a first kiss with the actor she likes. While she discovers some things are out of her control, she also learns that people and situations aren't always what they seem and that she has choices, on- and offscreen. Coleman's novel is entertaining and insightful, with an engaging protagonist whose droll narrative bursts through soap-opera superficialities touching on familiar adolescent concerns about self-esteem, school, and personal relationships with compassion and humor. Ruby's fan mail and her replies are scattered throughout the book, echoing the young teen's changing perspective. An adept blend of spoof and heart in a fast-paced, lively read. Shelle Rosenfeld
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Harpercollins Childs (February 5, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0007244010
• ISBN-13: 978-0007244010
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,484,705 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I'm Rowan Coleman, I live in England with my husband, children and a poodle called Polly. I've been a published writer for almost ten years, although a story teller since I could speak. I've written a total of eight novels for women, including the bestselling THE ACCIDENTAL MOTHER and ANOTHER MOTHER'S LIFE and my most recent book THE HOME FOR BROKEN HEARTS has just been published. Growing up as a dyslexic made my dream of becoming a writer seem impossible, but I never gave up trying and in 2001 I won Young Writer of the Year competition in Company Magazine. This lead the publication of my first novel I've never looked back since.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, August 23, 2008

By 

TeensReadToo "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ruby Parker Hits the Small Time (Hardcover)

Since she was six years old, Ruby Parker has been an actress on the British Soap Opera Kensington Heights. She's famous for her role as Angel MacFarley, and fans love her because Angel is the most normal character on the show. Ruby gets tons of fan mail, she attends an exclusive stage school for young actors and actresses, and she works with the ever-so-cute Justin de Souza.

Ruby's always been pretty lucky, but now that she's almost thirteen, things seem to be falling apart. Her family life isn't going so well and her parents are splitting up. There are rumors going around that Ruby's going through an "awkward stage" and might get fired from the soap. On top of that, Ruby's just been given a big kissing scene for the show, and she has to kiss her crush, Justin. The only problem is, Ruby's never been kissed and she needs her kiss with Justin to be perfect so he'll fall madly in love with her.

Ruby and her best friend, Nydia, decide there's only one person they can turn to for help -- mean girl Anne-Maria. Will Ruby get to stay on the show? Will Justin fall in love with her after their perfect kiss?

Ruby Parker is just who you'd want to be a celebrity. She's smart, funny, and totally down-to-earth and real. RUBY PARKER HITS THE SMALL TIME is just the beginning of Ruby's adventures. If you're a fan of soap operas or THE PRINCESS DIARIES, you'll love this series.

Reviewed by: Sarah Bean the Green Bean Teen Queen

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Soapy Fun!, July 4, 2007

By 

Jessica Burkhart "Canterwood Crest author" (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ruby Parker Hits the Small Time (Hardcover)

I greatly enjoyed RUBY PARKER. The infusion of soaps, romance and bad girls made it a fun, fast read. I look forward to reading more books by Rowan Coleman.

3.0 out of 5 stars its ok I suppose, December 12, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Ruby Parker: Soap Star (Paperback)

This is a great book, very romantic and it feels as if you are a part of it. But there is something about it that makes it a bit cheesy. And it dosn't really teach say your kids a very good lesson as Ruby is sometimes a bit stuck up and it will say to them that being famous means everything, but it dosn't. The storyline itself is good but personaly when i'm older I will not want my kids to read this, as they will want to be famous and then they might have their hopes ripped out because they are let down. But this book is gaurented to get thier imaginations spinning.


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