When sixth grader Lauren and her long-time best friend Tara try out for the school musical, "Shake It Up!" (hula hoops and Elvis are involved), Lauren aces her audition while Tara does okay. But it's Tara who gets the starring role. The teacher explains that blonde-haired Tara embodies the "all-American girl" female lead, the clear implication being that dark-haired, biracial, Chinese American Jewish Lauren does not. Lots of 1980s details in this novel that revisits characters from the authors' earlier collaboration, This Is Just a Test, place this story firmly in that decade, but the essence of the plot and its exploration of identity could be happening now. The more Lauren thinks about the racist implications of how the teacher is interpreting "all-American" the more upset she becomes. She finds camaraderie with fellow chorus members, and comfort in the emotionally rich songs and voice of a country singer she discovers on the radio, even after learning the woman wasn't a Jewish singer breaking barriers in that genre (it turns out her name is Patsy Cline, not Patsy Klein). By story's end, Lauren and Tara's friendship has been tested and survived, while the cast comes together in a subversive opening night maneuver that affirms "all-American" is an identity that embraces them all in a story that deftly moves between humor and deep feeling. (Ages 9-12)

A multicultural story full of heart and hilarity about what it means to be all-American.

Lauren and her best friend, Tara, have always done absolutely everything together. So when they don't have any classes together in sixth grade, it's disastrous. The solution? Trying out for the school play. Lauren, who loves to sing, wonders if maybe, just maybe, she will be the star instead of Tara this time.But when the show is cast, Lauren lands in the ensemble, while Tara scores the lead role. Their teacher explains: Lauren just doesn't look the part of the all-American girl. What audience would believe that she, half-Jewish, half-Chinese Lauren, was the everygirl star from Pleasant Valley, USA?From amidst the ensemble, Lauren tries to support her best friend. But when she can't bring herself to sing anymore, her spot in the play and her friendship are in jeopardy. With the help of a button-making business, the music of Patsy Cline, and her two bickering grandmothers, can Lauren find her voice again?Acclaimed coauthors Madelyn Rosenberg and Wendy Wan-Long Shang return to the 1980s world of Sydney Taylor Honor Book This Is Just a Test with this laugh-out-loud coming-of-age story.