Close to Famous

Close to Famous

By Joan Bauer

12 ratings 23 reviews 22 followers
Interest LevelReading LevelReading A-ZATOSWord Count
Grades 4 - 8Grades 2 - 5T3.641793
Foster McFee dreams of having her own cooking show like her idol, celebrity chef Sonny Kroll. Macon Dillard's goal is to be a documentary filmmaker. Foster's mother Rayka longs to be a headliner instead of a back-up singer. And Miss Charleena plans a triumphant return to Hollywood. Everyone has a dream, but nobody is even close to famous in the little town of Culpepper. Until some unexpected events shake the town and its inhabitants-and put their big ambitions to the test. Full of humor, unforgettable characters, surprises, and lots and lots of heart, this is Joan Bauer at her most engaging.
Publisher: Puffin Books
ISBN-13: 9780142420171
ISBN-10: 0142420174
Published on 1/5/2012
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 272

Book Reviews (23)

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Such a good book about standing up for yourself and friendship. I love Foster. She copes so well with what life throws at her.

When twelve-year-old Foster and her mother land in the tiny town of Culpepper, they don't know what to expect. But folks quickly warm to the woman with the great voice and the girl who can bake like nobody's business. Soon Foster - who dreams of having her own cooking show one day - lands herself a gig baking for the local coffee shop, and gets herself some much-needed help in overcoming her biggest challenge - learning to read. . . just as Foster and Mama start to feel at ease, their past catches up to them. Thanks to the folks in Culpepper, though Foster and her mama find the strength to put their troubles behind them for good. Joan Bauer is just one of my favorite authors the way she writes is heartwarming, inspiring, and gratifying

12 year old Foster Mcfee one day wakes up to find Huck an Elvis impression breaking through her window. Foster's mother sang back up for Huck but decided to stop when Huck called Foster a loser. Foster and her mom quickly leave town without even knowing where they are going to go. Will Foster and her mom have a place to call home. Soon into they're journey, after they stop at a town they are finally starting to adjust into, Foster realizes that she has forgotten her most prized possession, a pillowcase with all of her fathers things, who died in the military. Foster starts to bake, but still she has bigger problems. She can't read.Foster goes to her town's local celebrity, a late Hollywood star to help her. Will Foster get her pillow case back? Will she learn to read? Read the book to find out.

I love to bake, so this book was, of course, amazing. It is all about a girl named Foster who wants to have her own cooking show, but lives in a small town with a bunch of others who want to be famous but just aren't there yet. You won't want to put it down.

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12-year-old Foster McFee and her mother leave Memphis in a rush with her mother’s Elvis impersonator friend, hot on their trail. Shoving whatever they can along with Foster’s baking supplies and her muffins in their Chevy, they drive for hours until they hit the small quiet town of Culpepper, West Virginia. Foster dreams of being Food Network’s first youth cook like her idol, Sonny Kroll. Foster soon realizes that she isn’t the only one in Culpepper to have a dream. She meets Macon, a short boy, who no one takes seriously. He wants to document a film in Culpepper but doesn’t have a camera. Foster’s passion for baking win the hearts of many people including Angry Wayne who agrees to partner up and sell her muffins along with his fine food; Perseverance Wilson a gardener who is selling her church to a taco fast food chain and Miss Charleena, a dramatic, retired Hollywood actress who can cook. Foster bakes to divert her thoughts from the loss of her father and the fact that she cannot read. Soon Miss Charleena discovers Foster’s secret and agrees to help Foster read only if Foster helps Miss Charleena learn how to cook. As the story progresses, Foster supports her mom to be a headliner singer instead of a backup singer and helps Miss Charleena to step out of her gloomy days and helps her get back to being an actor.

This book is so fastening I love how it says about the new prison and how she wants to get famous .This is a book I will never forget

loved it

Kiaira Kiaira

This book was fabulous. It inspired me and also made me sad. After I read this I felt stronger and I also wanted to make my own cupcakes.

It is a book I would sit anywhere and read it forever!

Awesome Book. Love it, I love Foster because even though she has soooo many problems in life she handles them the right way. she's very smart and creative.

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