Almost Famous

by David Getz

Overview

Ten-year-old Maxine is determined to become a famous inventor so she can take care of her younger brother's heart condition, and she convinces a troubled classmate to help her.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780805034646
Publisher:	Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication date:	03/15/1994
Edition description:	REV
Pages:	182
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.45(d)
Lexile:	580L (what's this?)
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

David Getz is the award-winning author of the middle-grade novels Thin Air and Almost Famous, and the nonfiction books Frozen Man and Frozen Girl. When not writing, Mr. Getz works as an elementary-school principal in New York City.

Editorial Reviews

If there's one thing pushy Maxine knows, it's that she's destined to be an inventor. When an anonymous benefactor sends her an application for the Inventions of Children Contest, she thinks she's found a way to achieve her goal. Unfortunately, she needs a contest partner, and the only person in her class who seems lonely enough and smart enough to qualify is Toni, . . . who wants nothing to do with overbearing Maxine. . . . [Maxine's] periodic letters to 'Dear Phil [Donahue]' keep us laughing and apprised of her progress—not only as she attempts to become 'almost famous' but also as she learns . . . how to be a friend.” —Booklist, starred review

“David Getz is a fabulous new writer.” —Judy Blume

From the Publisher

Maxine, age 10, adores her five-year-old brother, whose heart murmur requires dreaded check-ups. Determined to invent something to help him, the girl embarks on several almost-successful projects. She decides that an appearance on Phil Donahue's TV show would bring acclaim and respect for her efforts, and conducts a fruitless phone-and-letter campaign to the celebrity's office. Then an application for the Inventions of Children Contest arrives in the mail. She believes it's from Phil Donahue and feels ``almost famous,'' but the rule about accepting only partnered contestants presents a problem for the newly transferred (and as yet friendless) girl. Getz ( Thin Air ) writes poignantly of the fears cast by a child's heart condition, but the thin story line is stretched too far. The (tiresome) emphasis on Donahue seems inappropriate in a children's story, and the dialogue and narrative exhibit a self-consciously cute quality (``Maybe I'm almost famous on another planet''). Maxine's spirited ambition, however, may hearten readers and convey to them the tenacity needed in pursuing goals. Ages 9-12. (Dec.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Gr 4-6-- Clever, tenacious, ten-year-old Maxine is an inventor of several things that almost work. From the outset, her lofty goal is to create something that will help improve her younger brother's heart condition. Since she needs a partner for a contest she wants to enter, she befriends Toni, a lonely girl with a history of personal problems. In spite of the underlying seriousness of Wat's health concerns and Toni's family problems, the light writing style and Maxine's constant resourcefulness keep this contemporary story upbeat and humorous. Maxine is characterized as singularly devoted to her mission; Toni is convincingly described as a child distracted by her home situation. The adults are less-clearly developed. Although the ending is a little too neat for plausibility, the plot is easy to follow and develops at a crisp pace. Overall, the humor and Maxine's appealing personality will make this a satisfying choice for young readers. --Marilyn Long Graham, Lee County Library System, Fort Myers, FL

School Library Journal