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Close to Famous

3.94 of 5 stars 3.94 · rating details · 2,213 ratings · 466 reviews

Foster McFee dreams of having her own cooking show like her idol, celebrity chef Sonny Kroll. Macon Dillard's goal is to be a documentary filmmaker. Foster's mother Rayka longs to be a headliner instead of a back-up singer. And Miss Charleena plans a triumphant return to Hollywood. Everyone has a dream, but nobody is even close to famous in the little town of Culpepper. Un...more

Hardcover, 250 pages

Published February 3rd 2011 by Viking Juvenile

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Newbery 2012

29th out of 136 books — 546 voters

If You Give a Cat a Cupcake by Laura Joffe Numeroff

Cupcakes on the Cover!

15th out of 65 books — 69 voters

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Apr 23, 2011 Cara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, realistic-fiction

Ok so I'm pretty much a self-proclaimed cupcake addict. I mean come on, who doesn't love cupcakes? Don't answer that because I probably wouldn't get along with someone who can't fathom the sweet goodness of cupcakes. So why the rant about cupcakes? Because my sister is baking something delectable and my mouth is watering, but mostly because the cover has finger-lickin' good cupcakes.

Confession:So that wasn't the only reason why I read this. I've been a long time follower of Bauer's work, and I w...more Ok so I'm pretty much a self-proclaimed cupcake addict. I mean come on, who doesn't love cupcakes? Don't answer that because I probably wouldn't get along with someone who can't fathom the sweet goodness of cupcakes. So why the rant about cupcakes? Because my sister is baking something delectable and my mouth is watering, but mostly because the cover has finger-lickin' good cupcakes.

Confession:So that wasn't the only reason why I read this. I've been a long time follower of Bauer's work, and I wanted something that had a good feel to it, but dealt with some strong issues. Bauer always does a good job of making characters you can root for, and the adults that surround them are always extraordinary.

The story starts out with Foster and her mom running away from Elvis. Or more like a jerk who thinks he's Elvis because he sings Elvis songs and shakes his hips to get money. Our twelve-year-old protagonist ends up in the small town of Culpepper. The problem with that is how is she going to get discovered in a small town? Foster has a dream to have her own cooking show, and she practices whenever she can. She bakes and cooks about anything, but her specialty is, you guessed it, cupcakes. The little town welcomes Foster and her mom with open arms, but that doesn't prevent Foster from dealing with some tough issues. She has to learn how to live without her daddy that died in the Iraq war, worrying if her mom will have to deal with the Elvis jerk again, and coming to terms with her difficulty with reading. With the help of a few friends, and her brilliant cupcakes Foster finds her spark.

It was a refreshing change for me to read this book. I'd been reading somewhat "darker" books, and I loved how Foster was hard-working and had "regular" twelve-year-old thoughts. I would have liked to have seen a little more character development, but I can't complain the book left me with a little smile on my face.

Extra side-note: My sister finished baking her tiramisu macaroons, and they were insanely scrumptious. People if you haven't had them you have to. Seriously, highly highly recommended to try before you die.(less)

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Jul 10, 2011 Joan rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: teens who like cooking or have reading problems.

Shelves: ya-books, disabled-interests, female-characters, schneider-winners-honors

Bauer specializes in feisty female teens who have tough challenges and manage to get through them. In this one, Foster can't read, even though she has "passed" sixth grade. Her Mom is a singer, living with a guy who is an Elvis impersonator and claims he can make her mother famous. He also is abusive, both physically with her Mom and verbally with Foster. After he hit her Mom in the eye, they ran for it. They end up in a small town and grow to like a lot of the people there. Even Miss Charleena...more

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Apr 17, 2013 Heidi rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, ya-12-19, feel-good, character, 2014-beehive-nominee

It is such bliss to have access to recently published books. Especially to an author I am really coming to love. I love her style. I love the issues she brings up for the teens, the characters in the books (especially the ones who uplift the main character), how the teens learn, and how the problems are resolved. More and more I regret that I did not buy one of her books and have her sign it when I met her a few years ago--even though that was the first time I'd really heard of her.

So, on to the...more

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Apr 11, 2013 LJ rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: juvenile-books

This is the first Joan Bauer book I’ve read. It was okay, in the truest sense of the word. Story line was good, it had interesting characters, but the thing that just made it okay instead of great is that the main character often sounded older than her years. This is something that may not bother the intended readership, but for me, an adult reading the story so that I can (and I will) recommend it to my young patrons at the library, it detracted from the story.

It’s when authors make their juven...more This is the first Joan Bauer book I’ve read. It was okay, in the truest sense of the word. Story line was good, it had interesting characters, but the thing that just made it okay instead of great is that the main character often sounded older than her years. This is something that may not bother the intended readership, but for me, an adult reading the story so that I can (and I will) recommend it to my young patrons at the library, it detracted from the story.

It’s when authors make their juvenile characters sound overly wise that I cringe. Foster Akilah McGee is 12 years old. She’s an aspiring baker who loves watching the Food Network’s Sonny Kroll, a retired marine turned baker. Foster wants to have her own cooking show someday and she practices for it while she bakes. This is all fine so far. Foster also has big problems. Big problems are something that’s been a part of “transitional” juvenile fiction for a long time. (By “transitional” I mean stories meant for readers that are not ready for YA, but still want some issues in their stories). Foster’s big problems are that her father has died in the Iraq war, her single mother is involved in an abusive relationship, and she cannot read.

At the start of the novel, Foster and her mother are in the car. They have just taken off after Huck punches her mother. They wind up in Culpepper, a tiny town full of interesting characters with challenges of its own—a state prison has just been built and the jams and jellies factory has closed. The prison was supposed to provide jobs to the locals, but it has failed to fill the gap created by the factory shuttering its doors.

I don’t mind local color, even if it gets a little exaggerated. The town is the home of a Hollywood star, “Miss Charleena” who is down on her luck. The owner of the local diner is “Angry Wayne” and the one diner’s customer we get to know slightly is named Betty. It’s still a diner, because towns like this have to have a diner, even though it is called, “Angry Wayne’s Bar and Grill.” The couple that rescues Foster and her Mama, towing their car away from the edge of a cliff and bringing them to Culpepper are named Lester and Kitty. There is a woman who is determined to save the town’s church from being sold to a franchise. Her name is, “Perseverance.” So far, so good.

These characters add to the story and get fleshed out a little bit as we go along (all except Betty who remains a stereotype.) Foster gets to know Malcolm, a boy her age who’s Miss Charleena’s assistant and considers himself a documentary filmmaker, but doesn’t own a camera. Malcolm gets sick one day and Foster takes over the assistant job. Miss Charleena gives Foster a list of jobs, tricking her by telling her that feeding the bird is on the list. Miss Charleena doesn’t have a bird, and so Miss Charleena discovers that Foster doesn’t know how to read. She makes a deal with Foster. If Foster will teach Miss Charleena to cook, Miss Charleena will teach Foster to read.

Foster’s reading difficulties are the most realistically treated story thread. Bauer describes what it was like for Foster to graduate from 6th grade, “by the skin of her teeth” whatever that means. (Foster’s musings.) A white dress that Foster graduates 6th grade in becomes a symbol of Foster’s failure, but then gets transformed into a symbol of success when Miss Charleena holds a graduation celebration for Foster marking her reading achievement.

When we come to the end of the story, there is a confrontation with Huck, the Elvis impersonator and one-time abusive boyfriend. It comes after Foster, through her amazing cooking skills and heavenly cupcakes, subdues an escaped con that comes to the halfway house to take his family away. This is a very unrealistic scene where Foster, a 12 year old, continues with her baking and the knife-wielding ex-con gets in-touch with his softer side, eats a cupcake, and then leaves the house to be captured by the authorities, who have been alerted. Because of this recent episode, Foster bravely confronts Huck and very quickly and conveniently the sheriff happens to drive by. The scene fizzles out and is over before it begins. Foster doesn’t seem very afraid of Huck earlier in the story, answering her Mother’s cell phone with smart retorts when he calls, and that also takes away from the concept that confronting Huck is a new thing for her.

In the end, Malcolm helps Foster to write a letter and do a short cooking show video to send to her hero, Sonny Kroll who we learn is in the hospital, having suffered a heart attack. Her words of wisdom become all too precious as she admonishes her audience, “don’t stay stuck in the same old stuff you know, get out there with some fresh herbs and just go for it.” A man who heard Foster’s mother sing at the benefit for the halfway house offers Mama a contract, Miss Charleena comes out of retirement, Malcolm goes over to the prison and convinces the guard to give him 30 seconds of time for his documentary, the church doesn’t get sold, and Sonny writes back to Foster. The last words of the story are extremely sentimental and once again, too much for a 12 year old to sound authentic:
“But for now, I’m going to make the world a better place, one cupcake at a time.” Gah!
(less)

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Feb 03, 2013 M. rated it 4 of 5 stars

2014 Rebecca Caudill nominee. Foster, age 11, is a girl with a huge ambition--to become a TV chef like her idol, Chef Sonny Kroll. Her dad was killed in Iraq and she has only a pillowcase full of mememtos to remember him by. Foster is a gifted cook but she can't read and she and her mom have had to leave their home in Memphis to escape the mom's abusive boyfriend. They find a new home in tiny Culpepper, WV, where a town full of offbeat characters with their own ambitions welcomes them. Macon wan...more

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Oct 05, 2012 Allison Barash rated it 1 of 5 stars

I'm not sure how I feel about this book. This story seemed to be a mish-mash of a thousand different things - it felt like it didn't have a focus.

The story is about a 12 year old girl named Foster. She is desperate to become a famous cook on the Food Network and is obsessed with a tv personality named Sonny. The story begins as she and her mother are fleeing her mother's abusive boyfriend, Huck - an Elvis impersonator. They move to a new small town and meet a wide array of people. There's the l...more I'm not sure how I feel about this book. This story seemed to be a mish-mash of a thousand different things - it felt like it didn't have a focus.

The story is about a 12 year old girl named Foster. She is desperate to become a famous cook on the Food Network and is obsessed with a tv personality named Sonny. The story begins as she and her mother are fleeing her mother's abusive boyfriend, Huck - an Elvis impersonator. They move to a new small town and meet a wide array of people. There's the little boy who wants to be a documentary film maker that works as a personal assistant for an eccentric movie star who has moved to get away from Hollywood and her cheating ex-husband. There's the local restauranteur Angry Wayne who reluctantly agrees to sell Foster's baked goods. There's the local teenage boy who likes to run...(and that's really his whole character). There's the hardware store where Foster's mother (who is secretly a fantastic singer) gets a job, and where the owner's daughter is trying to sell new "cool tools" to drum up business. There's Perseverance Wilson who is desperately trying to hang on to an old church that was sold to a Taco fast food restaurant. Then there's the new prison in town. It was built a few years ago and the builders told the town it would create tons of jobs...but all it seems to do is put prisoners in their town when they get out on work release. One such prisoner escapes and tries to come after his ex-wife but Foster manages to distract him by baking cupcakes. There's also the local Helping Hands building where prisoner's families can stay while they come to visit their loved ones in prison - but they're running out of money...and the children are hungry. Then Huck finds out where they are and comes after them...but it's not a vert climactic scene when he finds them. And to top it all off...Foster can't read.

Sound confusing? It is.

Overall, there were too many characters, too many plot lines, too many "issues." It's like 20 After School Specials/bad children's stories put together - abuse, illiteracy, poverty, escaped convicts, reality TV, eccentric lady who lives in town, restauranteur with a heart of stone that eventually melts when Foster convinces him to give money to the "children who can't eat."

I think this story was too much - it felt like there were too many things happening, and there were too many ancillary characters - most of whom were not fully developed enough to contribute anything to the story.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Oct 03, 2012 Meghan Mcmanis rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mcmanisdigitalbookshelf

Close to famous is the story of a young girl in 6th grade who travels away from home with her mother across country. They are leaving "Huck" her father and heading somewhere where he isn't. Foster enjoys baking and hopes to be the start of a cooking show like her idol, "Sonny Kroll" who was on food network. Mom and her end up living with Lester in the mobile home back behind his house. Its the story of a mother and daughters relationship and the secrets that mom tries to hide from her to protect...more

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Sep 17, 2012 Claire rated it 4 of 5 stars

Close to Famous ~ By Joan Bauer ~ 205 pages ~ Realistic Fiction

Summary~

In this story, the main character Foster McFee has big dreams of having her own cooking show just like her idol Sunny Kroll. Two of her friends and even her mom have big dreams too. One of her friends, Macon Dillard’s dream is to be a documentary film maker and her other friend, Miss Charlina’s goal is to return to Hollywood and continue her acting carreer. Her mom Rayka’s goal is to be a headliner instead of a back up singer...more

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Aug 10, 2012 Carol Owen rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved Joan Bauer's book Hope Was Here, so when I saw this on the Vermont Dorothy Canfield Fisher list this year, I was glad to pick it up. And, once again, Joan Bauer didn't disappoint me. She has a way of developing these positive characters who, yes, have adversity in their lives, but they rise above it and do all they can to overcome. In this case the story is of Foster, a girl who dreams big, and that dream is to one day have a kids' cooking show on the Food Network. And she delivers the g...more

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Apr 17, 2012 Alisha Davey added it

Shelves: 307-books

I am in love with this book. I picked it up at 8 am and finished it at 2 pm the same day. Something about it from the beginning I just loved it. First, the tone of the book is very uplifting. Foster is going through a lot in her life but the way the book is written gives it a positive spin. I love that this book is realistic. Children everywhere are part of families that experience abuse and Foster has her own way of dealing with things. The overarching idea of her baking is what makes this book...more

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Apr 02, 2012 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, loss, realistic-fiction

Twelve-year-old Foster and her mother are on the run from an abusive boyfriend and land in a small, West Virginia town populated by the requisite quirky characters. Foster bakes muffins and cupcakes to escape her troubles and dreams of having her own cooking show on the Food Network. She is ashamed of her inability to read, but perseveres through the help of a reclusive, aging Hollywood actress. In the hands of a lesser author this story might have become too "sappy" and stereotypical, but Joan...more

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Mar 06, 2012 IndyPL Kids Book Blog rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kid-life

Foster and her mother make a break for it, throwing what possessions they can in a car and getting very far away from Memphis and Huck, Foster’s mom’s now ex-boyfriend. Foster’s mom broke up with Huck when she found out Huck yelled and called Foster a loser. That made Huck so mad he broke into their house and gave Foster’s mom a black eye. So, Foster and her mom are on the road looking for a new place to call home, some place Huck will never bother to find.

“I guess if I’d kept my mouth shut, we’...more

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Feb 13, 2012 Paulina rated it 3 of 5 stars

There is something about this kind of book that doesn't give me high hopes about it's contents. It's definitely the way it looks but I can't really explain what. To tell ya'll the truth, the only reason why I even read it is because I was craving cupcakes at the time and the ones on the cover look sweeeett! I'm glad I did. I don't usually read this kind of books. The most important difference was probably that the narrator is a kid - about to start seventh grade. This got me confused because I w...more

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Jan 08, 2012 Wendy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-award-possibilities

Damned if this book didn't win me over. I started it with low, low expectations, because almost every book I read about kids who just lurve to bake is so twee and so obviously written by... these books aren't aspirational, exactly; sort of the opposite. It's the same with most books for kids about art. The adults just love food and/or art and they want kids to love it, too. And cupcakes? Don't get me wrong, I patronize a cupcake shop regularly, but I was over the concept of cupcakes being the Ne...more

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Dec 23, 2011 Treasure rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-s-books, supernatural

6th grader Foster loves to bake and dreams of someday being a cook on The Food Network. Her dreams seem awfully far away, however, as she and her bruised mother speed out of Memphis in the middle of the night, fleeing her mother’s ex-boyfriend who believes he is Elvis. Finding themselves in the small, dying town of Culpepper, West Virginia, the two slowly begin to put together a life, even as Foster continues to miss her father, who was killed in Iraq. The town is full of quirky characters that...more

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Nov 26, 2011 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, young-girls

Close to Famous might not be the most complex or original book in the world, and optimistic life cliches are sprinkled throughout and frosted thick on top like the main character's cupcake decorations; however, it still alludes to serious and tough issues such as domestic violence and the economic struggles of both individuals and a small rural town, while also showing that we must overcome personal obstacles, do the best we can with what we have, and, most importantly, not be afraid to dream b...more

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Aug 11, 2011 Micky rated it 4 of 5 stars

I just read Joan Bauer's young adult novel Close to Famous in which Foster McFee bakes to get through the bad days. In Foster's words, "Cooking is about life. It gives us what we need to keep going, and it gives us something to share with other people." Joan Bauer's signature quirky books don't have your typical teenagers or teen angst situations. Foster is a tough twelve-year-old who is dealing with a move to a new town and getting over her fear of Elvis impersonators. When her father passed aw...more

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Aug 05, 2011 Deven Black rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: middle-school-lit

Close to Famous is a YA novel about escaping abuse and following your dreams. Bauer introduces us to twelve-year-old Foster McFee in the car where she and her mother are hurriedly fleeing Memphis. Mom is escaping her terrifying Elvis-impersonator boyfriend and Foster is fleeing her own demons, including her 6th grade teacher who calls the girl stupid because she can’t read. Both carry a dream. Mom wants to be a singer and Foster wants to have her own TV cooking show. They land in sleepy Culpeppe...more

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Jul 30, 2011 Barbara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ncbla, literacy, strong-women

This is another strong title by the always reliable Joan Bauer. I love how her books often examine some kind of career and show teens or pre-teens deeply involved in some activity. In the case of Foster McFee, who just managed to finish sixth grade by the skin of her teeth, that positive activity is baking. Foster has been baking since she got an Easy-Bake oven at four, and she creates her own sweet concoctions. Foster and her mother, a talented singer who has always been relegated to the role o...more

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Apr 10, 2011 Valerie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Foster, just barely out of 6th grade, and her mother quickly leave Memphis to get away from Foster's mom's abusive boyfriend. They keep driving until they end up in the tiny town of Culpepper, West Virginia. They get a lucky break and are able to stay. Foster's mom wants to be a singer. Foster can't read..
This book is full of very difficult subjects, but it is made sweeter by Foster's amazing cooking. Her specialties are muffins and cupcakes.
So in the book you have a girl dealing with a probable...more

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Feb 12, 2011 Karen Ball rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-challenge

Fatherless Foster McFee's dream is to be on the Food Network, with her own show, just like Sonny Kroll. Foster is a very talented baker, who loves to invent new flavors of muffins and cupcakes especially. There are more than a few hurdles in her way, though: she has never been able to read because of a learning disability, she misses her soldier father who died in Iraq, and she and her mother have just fled Memphis in the middle of the night to escape her mother's abusive boyfriend. When they la...more

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Dec 08, 2012 Lizz rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, abuse, humor, likeable-cover-art, read-in-fall-2012, young-adult

Summary:
Foster McFee dreams of having her own cooking show like her idol, celebrity chef Sonny Kroll. Macon Dillard's goal is to be a documentary filmmaker. Foster's mother Rayka longs to be a headliner instead of a back-up singer. And Miss Charleena plans a triumphant return to Hollywood. Everyone has a dream, but nobody is even close to famous in the little town of Culpepper. Until some unexpected events shake the town and its inhabitants-and put their big ambitions to the test. Full of humor...more

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May 02, 2012 Teresa rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was charming, joining the ranks of other recent books about kids who struggle to read, like Bluefish by Schmatz and Okay for Now by SchmidtBluefish Okay for Now

In contrastto those books inaddition to having a female protagonist, this has a slightly lighter touch, although there are some gritty, even scary scenes here with a stalker mother's ex-boyfriend and an escaped convict! But what I really liked about this was the sweet and hopeful bits where Foster, the main character, pretends she is...more This was charming, joining the ranks of other recent books about kids who struggle to read, like Bluefish by Schmatz and Okay for Now by SchmidtBluefish Okay for Now

In contrastto those books inaddition to having a female protagonist, this has a slightly lighter touch, although there are some gritty, even scary scenes here with a stalker mother's ex-boyfriend and an escaped convict! But what I really liked about this was the sweet and hopeful bits where Foster, the main character, pretends she is hosting a cooking show on the Food Network. Cooking has been her way of connecting to the world; she finds that foods, especially cupcakes, have a special charm all their own, opening doors and smoothing difficult moments. Actually, cooking has saved her. So as she smiles for a pretend camera and shares cooking tips and life advice, what might seem smarmy seems touchingly brave and generous. I think what makes this feel lighter is that Foster has a mother who is fiercely loyal and supportive, even though Foster's dad was killed in Iraq. In the other books, their support is less dependable and comes from further away (a teacher and librarian, a recovering-alcoholic-grandfather)and the potential for danger feels more constant.

This actually reminded me of a movie that came out a few years ago, "Waitress" in the way that baking, in that case pies, was a lifeline to a successful future and a way of coping with current trouble. Here, after fleeing Memphis and her mom's abusive Elvis-impersonator boyfriend ("Bake every day. If you have to leave town fast, you'll have something good to eat in the car."), Foster sells her wares to local diner, putting it on the map with her inventive and delicious creations. When she can no longer hide her inability to read, a semi-retired, "Hollywood" actress helps her learn to read with cookbooks and the actual foods and culinary tools. Foster's new friends all rally round to help her. An entrepreneurial success story--maybe not totally realistic, but in her mother's words, Foster has heart. And great tips: "Baking with children is not for the weak."(less)

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Oct 02, 2011 Jackie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: abuse, compassion, coming-of-age, disabilities, courage, food, friendship, perseverance, rural, self-esteem, ya-fiction, literacy, cupcakes, baking-cooking, single-parent-family, schneider-award, rebecca-caudill-2014

Ok, now I know it's true...cupcakes make everything better. Close to Famous is a story of strengths and accomplishments earned through perserverance and faith. Foster McFee and her mom are on the run from an abusive relationship with Huck, her mom's boyfriend. Foster is a baker extraordinaire, even though she is just out of sixth grade. She bakes mouth-watering, to-die-for recipes that has the whole town of Culpepper, West Virginia clamoring for more. What she wants most in the world, though, is...more

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Apr 17, 2013 Krista rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: caudill-2014

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jul 17, 2012 Josh rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

I purchased this book for a buck when it became the Kindle Daily Deal a month or so ago. The author had received a Newberry Honor, so I thought I'd check it out.

Had I known what the cover of this book looked like, I wouldn't have read it in a thousand years. As you can see, it shows some little girl wearing a bright apron and holding a tray of cupcakes. I'm a 38-year-old man, so I tend to avoid that sort of thing.

But this book is very fine.

Foster, the main character, is a broken kid. She find...more

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Feb 05, 2012 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: middle-grade, 2012, grief-loss

Foster McFee tackles her problems with a cheerful, can-do attitude. Her father was killed serving in Iraq, her mother's abusive boyfriend keeps her most treasured possessions, and she really can't read. Foster's love of baking and her delicious cupcakes help her make friends and win the hearts of her new neighbors in Culpepper, West Virginia. With some help from an aging movie star, Foster tackles her reading problem and begins her reading journey with her favorite cooking star's cookbook.

I do...more

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Oct 23, 2011 Amber rated it 5 of 5 stars

Two weeks ago I was walking through the Young Adult section of my library, on my way to pick up another book, when this one caught my eye. It was the picture of the cupcakes on the front that drew me in and after a quick scan of the front flap I decided to grab it and give it a go. Oh how I loved this book. The main character loves to bake and actually sees baking as a means to making the world a better place (mind you she is a 12 year old girl living in a tiny town in WV). My kind of thinking....more

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Apr 16, 2013 Christen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: baking-food-fiction

Joan Bauer is a hit again. I found this book very enjoyable, and I feel as though it will appeal to a variety of ages. As a Young Adult and Children's Librarian, it can be very hard to draw the line between what's a YA book and what should be shelved as Juvenile, especially with the current "tween" market. Do tweens count as YA or are they still Juvenile? Some books are very clearly for older Young Adults, but we can't forget to have some books for our younger YAs who are just entering their pre...more

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Jul 13, 2012 Jan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: j-fiction

Alright, already! I admit it! I am such a sucker for a story where folks come to the rescue of those in need and a story where the ending is sweet and worth cheering for. I just can't help it! I guess it is so unlike real life anymore that I find I need books that make me feel good. I've tried all sorts of genres...some creep me out, some drive me crazy, some make me think too much ("Now, class, what do you think the author meant by that statement?" Ummm, don't care!) and some give me nightmares...more

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About Joan Bauer

From: http://www.joanbauer.com/jbbio.html

July 12, 1951 - I was born at eleven A.M., a most reasonable time, my mother often said, and when the nurse put me in my mother's arms for the first time I had both a nasty case of the hiccups and no discernible forehead (it's since grown in). I've always believed in comic entrances.

As I grew up in River Forest, Illinois, in the 1950's, I seem to remember a...more From: http://www.joanbauer.com/jbbio.html

July 12, 1951 - I was born at eleven A.M., a most reasonable time, my mother often said, and when the nurse put me in my mother's arms for the first time I had both a nasty case of the hiccups and no discernible forehead (it's since grown in). I've always believed in comic entrances.

As I grew up in River Forest, Illinois, in the 1950's, I seem to remember an early fascination with things that were funny. I thought that people who could make other people laugh were terribly fortunate. While my friends made their career plans, declaring they would become doctors, nurses, and lawyers, inwardly I knew that I wanted to be involved somehow in comedy. This, however, was a difficult concept to get across in first grade. But I had a mother with a great comic sense (she was a high school English teacher) and a grandmother who had been a funny professional storyteller, so I figured the right genes were in there somewhere, although I didn't always laugh at what my friends laughed at and they rarely giggled at my jokes. That, and the fact that I was overweight and very tall, all made me feel quite different when I was growing up--a bit like a musk ox at a tea party.

My grandmother, who I called Nana, had the biggest influence on me creatively. She taught me the importance of stories and laughter. She never said, "Now I'm going to tell you a funny story," she'd just tell a story, and the humor would naturally flow from it because of who she was and how she and her characters saw the world. She showed me the difference between derisive laughter that hurts others and laughter that comes from the heart. She showed me, too, that stories help us understand ourselves at a deep level. She was a keen observer of people.

I kept a diary as a child, was always penning stories and poems. I played the flute heartily, taught myself the guitar, and wrote folk songs. For years I wanted to be a comedienne, then a comedy writer. I was a voracious reader, too, and can still remember the dark wood and the green leather chairs of the River Forest Public Library, can hear my shoes tapping on the stairs going down to the children's room, can feel my fingers sliding across rows and rows of books, looking through the card catalogs that seemed to house everything that anyone would ever need to know about in the entire world. My parents divorced when I was eight years old, and I was devastated at the loss of my father. I pull from that memory regularly as a writer. Every book I have written so far has dealt with complex father issues. My dad was an alcoholic and the pain of that was a shadow that followed me for years, but I've learned things from that experience that have made me resilient. I attempted to address those issues in Rules of the Road, and I took them even further in the companion book, Best Foot Forward. The theme that I try to carry into all of my writing is this: adversity, if we let it, will make us stronger.

In my twenties, I worked in sales and advertising for the Chicago Tribune, McGraw-Hill, WLS Radio, and Parade Magazine. I met my husband Evan, a computer engineer, while I was on vacation. Our courtship was simple. He asked me to dance; I said no. We got married five months later in August, 1981. But I was not happy in advertising sales, and I had a few ulcers to prove it. With Evan's loving support, I decided to try my hand at professional writing. I wish I could say that everything started falling into place, but it was a slow, slow build -- writing newspaper and magazine articles for not much money. My daughter Jean was born in July of '82. She had the soul of a writer even as a baby. I can remember sitting at my typewriter (I didn't have a computer back then) writing away with Jean on a blanket on the floor next to me. If my writing was bad that day, I'd tear that page out of the typewriter and hand it to her. "Bad paper," I'd say and Jean would r(less)

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Books by Joan Bauer

Rules of the Road (Rules of the Road, #1)

Best Foot Forward (Rules of the Road, #2)

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Quotes from Close to Famous

“I reached into my bag and pulled out a pumpkin spice muffin with walnuts that was as moist as anything. "It can be plain for breakfast or I can top it with cream cheese frosting. I like a muffin that can go from day to evening."

I gave it to her. She sniffed it, nodded, and held it up.

"How do I know you're not trying to poison me?"

I wasn't expecting that question. "Ms. Morningstar, I swear, if I was going to poison you, I wouldn't ruin a perfectly fine muffin to do it.” — 4 people liked it

“I'll tell you something about tough times. They just about kill you, but if you decide to keep working at them, you'll find your way through.” — 3 people liked it

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