Close to Famous

Bauer, Joan. (2011). Close to famous. New York: Viking. When ten-year-old Foster McFee and her mother leave Memphis to escape from an abusive boyfriend who impersonates Elvis and delights in denigrating Foster for her poor grades, they end up in a small West Virginia town called Culpepper. The kind couple who towed their car provides a place for them to stay, and they begin to settle down. Despite being unable to read, Foster is an accomplished baker, able to memorize recipes and create scrumptious cupcakes. She heads to Angry Wayne's Bar and Grill to sell her goodies and follows her new friend Macon on his job working for Miss Charleena, an eccentric former actress who has withdrawn from the world for reasons of her own. When the wealthy woman realizes that Foster is unable to read, she offers to tutor her.

Favorite Lines:

“I’d never seen a prison before, unless you count sixth grade” (p. 18).

“I was in my own kind of jail where the gates lock tight, and no matter what, you just can’t get out” (p. 150).

“Knowing you belong is like putting frosting on a cupcake. It totally seals the deal” (p. 225).