Set against a 1950's-era backdrop of James Dean billboards and jukeboxes blasting Elvis, Ellen Conford's classic road adventure follows fifteen-year-old Sylvie as she leaves her foster home in New Jersey chasing dreams of celluloid stardom. Sylvie soon learns, however, that life isn't like the movies as she ends up broke and alone.

When Annabel, who wants to be a famous actress someday, has a part in a real play, she finds she must cope with a big dog and an unruly audience member.

And This Is Laura is the hilarious story of an average girl in a family of overachievers who learns she's not so average. Laura's oldest brother composes his own music and is a debate team champion; her sister is a star actress and bowler; her youngest brother is in the process of counting to a million. Laura? She's just an ordinary twelve-year old-that is, until she discovers that she can see the future. Suddenly, she has popularity, attention from...

Ten short stories in which the lives of young people in different circumstances are changed by their encounters with books.