Lights, Camera, Amalee by Dar Williams

Amalee has inherited a unique memento from her grandmother, who has just passed away--a large champagne bottle filled with over a thousand dollars in coins. Told to do something special with the cash, Amalee sets out to make a movie on what she is most passionate about-- endangered species. Over the course of the summer, Amalee has fun making her movie, with help from family, friends, and neighbors along the way. She also finds a connection to her mother, whom she never got the chance to know. From behind the scenes, Amalee learns more about herself and the people closest to her.

Overall, this was an enjoyable book to read. I felt that Amalee's efforts and achievements seemed quite realistic, and this story was portrayed from a reasonable middle schooler's view. I felt that this book reflected a good theme--the importance of friends and family. In addition to that, many of the characters were fun to read about.

Unfortunately, this book was slow at times. I also noticed that this book lacked some interesting descriptions and details in parts. I would recommend this book to girls ages 10-13 because I believe that they will really be able to relate to Amalee's story of finding herself.

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Lake Bluff, Illinois United States of America