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Be A Star!
The circus is going to Hollywood! This series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line called Branches, which is aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina. Branches books help readers grow!The Stardust Girls -- Marlo, Bella, Carly, and Allie -- are all abuzz! A film crew from Hollywood is doing a piece on the circus. Allie loves being in the circus, but she'd love to be a Hollywood star, too! She tries to impress the film crew by becoming the star of the show. But in the circus, everyone works together as a team. And Marlo, Bella, and Carly don't like how Allie is hogging the spotlight. Will Allie get her big Hollywood break?
- GenresChildrens
96 pages, Paperback
First published April 28, 2015
16 people are currently reading
75 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 16, 2025
This book holds a special place in my childhood. I think it’s fantastic! I discovered it in my school library and was thrilled to read it since I had already enjoyed the first part. Today, I tried to find it in my library and was flooded with nostalgia upon seeing it. It’s a must-read for children because it features beautiful illustrations and is written in easy-to-read English. Without a doubt, it's one of my favorite reads.
June 27, 2017
Great series for grades 2-4. Positive female friendships.
June 9, 2018
A solid children's book with themes of friendship, ambition, support, and teamwork! Eva brought it home from school and I thought it was great.
December 19, 2016
This is a review of books 1 and 2 of the Amazing Stardust Friends series.
The Amazing Stardust Friends, a new series in Scholastic's Branches line, is set in the famous Stardust Circus. In book one, Step into the Spotlight, Marlo arrives at the circus along with her mom, who is the new chef. When Marlo asks to be allowed to join the parade that takes place at each performance, Liam the Ringmaster tells her she must first find a talent. After trying many things, she realizes she has had a special skill all along. In the forthcoming second book, Be a Star, producers come to film the circus performers and trapeze artist Allie becomes obsessed with the idea of landing a part in a TV show, even though she is not being seriously considered. This causes much conflict with the other Stardust Friends.
This series gets credit for trying a new setting. With so many friendship stories for this age group, this one at least stands out a little bit by taking the story outside of the usual school and home environments. The circus train is an appealing location, made more so by the map which appears early on in each book. Unfortunately, aside from this map, the illustrations feel strangely dated, as though they came from a Jem and the Holograms coloring book. The big eyes and hair on the covers give off a creepy vibe, and the characters look like they are much older than the stories themselves suggest. The vocabulary is simple enough, and short chapters filled with short sentences make the text easy enough to read for at least some second and third graders. The look of the books, though, makes them seem more middle grade, which might cause parents to dismiss them as too mature even though the content is perfectly appropriate for beginning chapter book readers.
The Branches books continue to be very inconsistent in terms of quality and kid appeal. This series seems to fall somewhere in the middle - not the best, but certainly not the worst, either. For more circus-themed books for this age group, also try the Three-Ring Rascals series by Kate and M. Sarah Klise.
The Amazing Stardust Friends, a new series in Scholastic's Branches line, is set in the famous Stardust Circus. In book one, Step into the Spotlight, Marlo arrives at the circus along with her mom, who is the new chef. When Marlo asks to be allowed to join the parade that takes place at each performance, Liam the Ringmaster tells her she must first find a talent. After trying many things, she realizes she has had a special skill all along. In the forthcoming second book, Be a Star, producers come to film the circus performers and trapeze artist Allie becomes obsessed with the idea of landing a part in a TV show, even though she is not being seriously considered. This causes much conflict with the other Stardust Friends.
This series gets credit for trying a new setting. With so many friendship stories for this age group, this one at least stands out a little bit by taking the story outside of the usual school and home environments. The circus train is an appealing location, made more so by the map which appears early on in each book. Unfortunately, aside from this map, the illustrations feel strangely dated, as though they came from a Jem and the Holograms coloring book. The big eyes and hair on the covers give off a creepy vibe, and the characters look like they are much older than the stories themselves suggest. The vocabulary is simple enough, and short chapters filled with short sentences make the text easy enough to read for at least some second and third graders. The look of the books, though, makes them seem more middle grade, which might cause parents to dismiss them as too mature even though the content is perfectly appropriate for beginning chapter book readers.
The Branches books continue to be very inconsistent in terms of quality and kid appeal. This series seems to fall somewhere in the middle - not the best, but certainly not the worst, either. For more circus-themed books for this age group, also try the Three-Ring Rascals series by Kate and M. Sarah Klise.
May 25, 2015
Be A Star is the second book in the Amazing Stardust Friends series by Heather Alexander. In the first book, readers meet Marlo, and her new circus friends Allie, Bella, and Carly. These three new friends help Marlo find out her own strengths thereby enabling her to join the show herself. In the second book, readers get a chance to know Allie better. This is her book.
Allie is ambitious, young and ambitious. So when she learns that a camera crew from Hollywood will be filming a performance of their circus, she loses touch with reality for a bit! She just KNOWS that once they see her, they'll be so wowed, so amazed, that they will want to make her a big, BIG star. She's on her way to being famous. Surely, thinking out what her new name--her Hollywood name--should be is more important than her schoolwork. Allie makes a few bad decisions in this one, but, her friends and family eventually show her that where she is right now is where she belongs.
I like this series.
Allie is ambitious, young and ambitious. So when she learns that a camera crew from Hollywood will be filming a performance of their circus, she loses touch with reality for a bit! She just KNOWS that once they see her, they'll be so wowed, so amazed, that they will want to make her a big, BIG star. She's on her way to being famous. Surely, thinking out what her new name--her Hollywood name--should be is more important than her schoolwork. Allie makes a few bad decisions in this one, but, her friends and family eventually show her that where she is right now is where she belongs.
I like this series.
June 2, 2015
"Be a Star" is the second book in the adorable new intermediate series about circus life. This volume focuses on Allie, the youngest of the Flying Faltos trapeze family. She is super excited to have some real Hollywood people on the train as they travel to California. Allie is positive this is her big break and she will be the star of a new TV show. Mixed messages almost lead to a breakup with the rest of the Stardust Girls. True friendship and family ties shine through the glitz of Hollywood and Allie realizes where she is meant to be.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews