A review by nataliereinhart
Shannon in the Spotlight by Kalena Miller

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Shannon in the Spotlight was such a delight to read, primarily because of Shannon herself and how easy it was to empathize with her as she navigated rehearsals, family challenges, therapy, and friend drama over the course of one summer. Kalena Miller does such a wonderful job balancing funny moments and middle school chaos with genuinely poignant scenes about the power of theater and communicating honestly with loved ones. I LOVE musicals, and although I was never a theater kid myself, I loved watching the kids and adults in this book put The Sound of Music together and getting to see glimpses of rehearsals and the tech crew. I highly recommend this book for any young readers! (and adults)