Yours Truly, Lucy B. Parker: Girl vs. Superstar [Paperback]

Robin Palmer (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

Sixth grade is hard enough for Lucy B. Parker, but it gets so much worse when her mom announces that she's going to marry Laurel Moses's dad. Yes, that Laurel Moses - the TV-movie-music star who makes Hannah Montana look like some random kid from the sticks. Suddenly, Lucy's life is turned upside down and sideways. All Lucy wants to do is get through the day without totally embarrassing herself too much, but that's hard to do when you're the less-pretty, less-talented not-quite sister of a mega superstar.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5–7—Lucy B. Parker, 12, is having a difficult time. Her best friend dumps her, she still hasn't gotten her period, and her mom insists that she wear a bra. Just when things can't get any worse, her mom announces that she's going to marry the father of Laurel Moses, a TV-music-movie star (think Hannah Montana) who happens to hate Lucy's guts. That makes Lucy nothing but the less-pretty, less-talented stepsister of the most famous girl in the world. Gradually Lucy discovers that being a superstar isn't as glamorous and validating as she'd imagined. Palmer does a great job of showing the glitter of stardom as well as the downsides of fame. In the end, the girls learn that being friends and having family you can count on is worth more than any amount of celebrity. It's gratifying that Lucy and Laurel both experience significant attitude changes while also retaining the core of their personalities. Readers will relate to the lessons learned, but they aren't preachy or in-your-face. The writing is easy to follow, and this book will definitely be enjoyed by preteens who long for Laurel's glamorous life, while also appreciating with Lucy's stable home.—Wendy E. Dunn, Fort Worth Public Library, TX
(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Sixth-grader Lucy has been dumped by her two BFFs, is on the alert for the start of her period, and is basically trying to get through each day without humiliating herself. The last thing she needs is to be known as the gawky, untalented stepsister of TV star Laurel Moses, the most adored teen celebrity in the world. But that's exactly what will happen when Lucy's mom marries Laurel's dad. Blending Lucy's e-mails to TV agony aunt Dr. Maude with Lucy's first-person narrative about how her life becomes increasingly entangled with Laurel's, this funny, fast-paced book introduces what should be a promising new series. Lucy presents herself as just a normal girl trying to survive an extraordinary turn of events, but readers will recognize that there is nothing average about Lucy, and what she lacks in star quality is easily compensated for by her honesty, humor, and moxie. Give this to fans of Meg Cabot's work, who will enjoy watching Lucy transition from small-town living to life in the limelight. Grades 5-7. --Kara Dean --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Puffin (April 20, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0142415006
• ISBN-13: 978-0142415009
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,004,089 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

After a decade-long career in Hollywood, Robin Palmer regained her sanity and chucked her cushy network executive job and expense account to become a writer. Which--she quickly discovered once her savings account was depleted--may not have been so sane. Luckily her perseverance (and love of hanging out at home alone all day in yoga pants and no makeup) paid off with the publication of her first YA book CINDY ELLA, the first in a series of modern retellings of fairy tales set in a fictional Los Angeles high school. This was followed by GEEK CHARMING (the basis of the highly rated Disney Channel Original Movie starring Sarah Hyland and Matt Prokop) and LITTLE MISS RED. Her latest book WICKED JEALOUS: A LOVE STORY, which is a retelling of Snow White, will be out in July 2012. She then moved into middle grade fiction with a series called YOURS TRULY, LUCY B. PARKER, about a twelve-year-old girl whose new stepsister is literally the most popular girl in the world because she's a Hollywood superstar. She lives in a pink barn in the Hudson Valley.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unique Voice of a Memorable Preteen Dealing With a New, Famous Sister and life in the Big Apple, April 20, 2010

By 

Rachel Kramer Bussel "Cupcakes Take the Cake ... (New York City) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Yours Truly, Lucy B. Parker: Girl vs. Superstar (Paperback)

Lucy B. Parker is a spunky girl but whose life gets upended when her mom starts dating superstar Laurel Moses's dad. She's concerned that there might be a sudden onset of her first period, and that she's losing her mom to a new life. For help, she writes to TV show host Dr. Maude, in a series of increasingly hysterical, and hilarious, notes. She has to learn to navigate her new New York City life (including taking the subway to Queens--admit it, New Yorkers, who hasn't done that at least once?), but thankfully has a helpful doorman (who tells her where to find the best cupcakes) and Laurel, who has more going on than it first appears, while dealing with things like The Hat Incident (you have to read the book).

This first in the series from fairy tell reteller Palmer (Cindy Ella, Geek Charming, Little Miss Red) is charming, and Lucy's voice is unique and memorable. Lucy will certainly appeal to fans of Meg Cabot's Allie Finkle series, and I'm looking forward to reading about more of her mishaps and adventures.