Claim to Fame

by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Lindsay Scott hit the big time at age five, when she became the star of the television show "Just Me and the Kids." It seemed like she was set for life--until she had a nervous breakdown when she was eleven, because Lindsay had suddenly developed a very dangerous sense of ESP--the ability to hear what anyone was thinking about here, at any time, anywhere in the world. Lindsay's father whisked her away to her long-gone mother's house in small town Springdale, and Lindsay was amazed to discover that within the four walls of the house, she can't hear anything out of the ordinary. And so Lindsay has stayed hidden in the house, safe from other people's thoughts, doing her best to stay out of sight and let the world forget her.

When the tabloids print a "where are they now" story about her, claiming that Lindsay's maniacal father has kept her imprisoned in her house for the past five years, a couple of well-meaning teens attempt to "rescue" Lindsay. For the first time in five years, Lindsay is outside the protective quiet of her house. And that's when she hears the one voice she never expected to her mother's.

When she discovers that perhaps her mother didn't leave voluntarily, she has a choice to will she risk everything to find the truth about her past--and the source of her ability?

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Fiction, Middle Grade, Teen, Realistic Fiction

272 pages, Paperback

First published October 19, 2009

About the author

Margaret Peterson Haddix grew up on a farm near Washington Court House, Ohio. She graduated from Miami University (of Ohio) with degrees in English/journalism, English/creative writing and history. Before her first book was published, she worked as a newspaper copy editor in Fort Wayne, Indiana; a newspaper reporter in Indianapolis; and a community college instructor and freelance writer in Danville, Illinois.

She has since written more than 25 books for kids and teens, including Running Out of Time; Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey; Leaving Fishers; Just Ella; Turnabout; Takeoffs and Landings; The Girl with 500 Middle Names; Because of Anya; Escape from Memory; Say What?; The House on the Gulf; Double Identity; Dexter the Tough; Uprising; Palace of Mirrors; Claim to Fame; the Shadow Children series; and the Missing series. She also wrote Into the Gauntlet, the tenth book in the 39 Clues series. Her books have been honored with New York Times bestseller status, the International Reading Association’s Children’s Book Award; American Library Association Best Book and Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers notations; and more than a dozen state reader’s choice awards.


Haddix and her husband, Doug, now live in Columbus, Ohio, with their two children.

Reviews

[Erin Entrada Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I read it in two days because I couldn’t stop turning the pages. The ending is open, but I have no problem with that.

[PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps · Rating 2 out of 5]

Former child actress Lindsay Scott disappeared from the public after she began hearing voices. Five years later, a tabloid publishes a story that her father is actually holding her prisoner. Two teen fans decide to rescue Lindsay by kidnapping her, not realizing she’s practically agoraphobic. Then things get complicated.

I enjoyed the first two thirds of CLAIM TO FAME until the story took on a supernatural aspect which I hadn’t expected, I would have never read this book if I knew beforehand.

Margaret Haddix Peterson created an interesting and complex backstory with characters interconnected in surprising ways. CLAIM TO FAME wasn’t for me and isn’t something I recommend, although some readers may enjoy it.

[Cara · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I first started to read this I did know that Lindsay could hear what people said about her. Now at first this may seem like a good gift, but in reality people can be cruel and you wouldn't want to be bogged down with all the things people say about you. Way too much information. For poor Lindsay Scott, having this "gift" destroys her career as an actress and from having a normal life. Sooner or later though she has to face the world, and her taste of the outside world since the start of her hermitlife starts one night when two teenage boys "kidnap" her.

Now, I had no idea that the book was going to veer towards transcendentalism. It was interesting how the author linked transcendentalism and the power that Lindsay has. I don't know a lot about the subject but the book gets into it, so readers won't be confused. The book went way deeper than I thought it would, which isn't necessarily bad or good, just not expected. The problem I did have with the book was how much time Lindsay spent with herself. It's understandable because she has been living with just her dad for five years and she can't go out and have a normal life. She doesn't have the ability to block the voices outside of her house, so she is reluctant to meet people and have to bear the burden of having to hear what they would say behind her back. Still, one of my favorite parts of stories are the interactions with characters. It does have some, but not enough for my liking.

The book definitely brought an interesting prespective of how sometimes what people say about others actually reflects more about them than about you. The beginning was interesting, the middle dragged a little and then all of sudden it felt like it ended. Lindsay makes a 360 on her life. I thought that was a little unrealistic. Even with the misgivings I had about it, the idea and the writing style is interesting. I'll have to read more of Margaret Peterson Haddix work.

[Jessica (Goldenfurpro) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 2.5 stars

This was an okay read and I really liked the premise of the book. It was definitely a unique idea and it was interesting how it was shown and how it affected Lindsay. The last 50 pages or so caused me to give it this rating though. The ending was just odd compared to the rest of the book and I feel like some of the events that happened really warranted more of an explanation.

[Sierra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my favorite Margaret Peterson Haddix book, but not bad. :)

[ashes ➷ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gave it a bonus star for the usual Haddix skill with speed of plot and intrigue but I agree with other reviewers that this one doesn't have the shine she's famous for in books like Double Identity and Turnabout, mostly due to the odd twists and neat-with-a-bow tieup of the Big Question (why does Lindsay hear voices?) in a way that doesn't match what Haddix has previously done with science fiction based on real science-- I just wasn't super into the focus on transcendentalism, "human nature as self-centered," and the random God mentions. I will admit this would have been 3 stars if Haddix hadn't flung God in there at the end... but! enjoyable. Solid read for a Haddix completionist.

[Bethany Tyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
I would've liked this a lot more if they didn't link their *talent* to *being connected to God*.
I did not get that at all. But, I really liked the storyline and liked that Lindsay grew as a character through it sooo....

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

amazing gripping by the end of the book you can't put it down

[Jaina Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is also available on my blog, Read Till Dawn.

I'm in a bit of a review-writing slump right now. I've been so busy in my personal life lately that blogging has had to go on the back-burner. Speaking of busy, my capstone project in AP English is a speech about Richard III. I've been really swamped researching it - and by swamped, I mean "my floor has been devoured by history books" - but it's been incredibly fascinating learning so much about a period I never really knew much about. I piled all of my research books up and took a picture. I've got quite a stash, haven't I? [note: go to my original review here to see the picture of my research books!]

But I digress. I'm not supposed to be talking about Richard III, am I? I'm supposed to be talking about Lindsay Scott. As I sit here typing, trying really hard to stay focused but not succeeding very well, it occurs to me that on the surface Richard and Lindsay are so different there is literally no real comparison that can be made between them that would segue into the review at hand. They're just about polar opposites, completely different in so many respects - most noticeably in the fact that Richard was a real person, and Lindsay is not. Also, they would have lived 500 years apart.

Actually, the more I think about it the more similarities I see between them. Being king of England 500 years ago was a lot like being a TV-star today: you were rich, famous, powerful, and under constant public scrutiny. Most striking in this (slightly ridiculous, I know) comparison is the fact that both kings and TV-stars are subject (pun intended!) to some serious double-talking. A king's subjects pretend to adore him so much, then turn around and curse him behind his back. A TV-star's costars and fans may offer her nothing but smiles and roses on set - but then go home and privately rant about how much they hate her. It takes a thick hide to live surrounded by such duplicity. Well, a thick hide or complete innocence about the vindictiveness of human nature.

And this is where I manage to segue into talking about the book at hand! Lindsay is an ex-TV-star. She was at the top of her game, a queen in her own court by the time she was eleven. She had that innocence that goes with childhood, and honestly believed that the entire world adored her. Then one day she was able to hear everything that was said about her, everywhere. Her naivety was shattered, her trust broken, and her confidence destroyed. Unable to cope with the stress of hearing exactly what everyone around said about her, she became a virtual recluse. She moved halfway across the country to a new house, one that somehow blocks her debilitating ability - though how, she had no idea. And didn't really care.

The book follows Lindsay five years after moving to Springdale as she is forced to come to terms with everything that has happened to her and learn how to function in the real world. She unearths some very hard truths about her relationship with her (newly deceased) father and the fate of the mother she never knew, even as she forges new relationships and decides whether she will spend her life hiding from the world, or will go out and actually live her life. Haddix introduces a lot of deep themes in Claim to Fame, and it's a very grabbing/thought-provoking read. The book's biggest flaw in my eyes is actually that it doesn't dig as deep as it could into these themes. I suppose that's just a sign that I'm past the target age, though - the first time I read Claim to Fame, I thought it was perfect.

It's not perfect. I can see that now. But it's still very good, and raises a lot of interesting points about everything from transcendentalism to parent-child communication in a manner that just about anyone can digest. If anything I've said about the book interests you, then I highly recommend it.

[Susy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Sweet story, good narration.

Characters 7
Atmosphere 7
Writing Style 7
Premise 7
Execution/Plot 7
Execution/Pace 8
Execution/Setup 7
Enjoyment/Engrossment 7
Narration 8

[Zephren Milentz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Personal Response:
I enjoyed Claim to Fame very much. The characters were relatable and dynamic and I liked them too. The only part about this book that I disliked was the sudden ending. This book was very suspenseful and that made it so much more enjoyable.

Plot Summary:
Lindsay Scott was a has-been child actor who gained the ability to hear what anyone was thinking about her at any time. This caused her to lose her cool while acting, so her show got cancelled. Her mother was gone since birth and her father died, but it didn’t matter very much because she didn’t have the best relationship with him. With her father gone, she needed a legal guardian. Inez Mullin was a close friend of Lindsay’s father, and she was trusted to be Lindsay’s new guardian. After talking to said neighbor, Lindsay was sure of what to do. She hunted down her missing mother with help from her friends and got her happy ending.

Characterization:
Lindsay was the main character. She was a 16 year old girl who used to be a child actor. She was sort of a brat, but her situation was quite dire. In the beginning of the book she was quite a scatterbrain, but by the end of the book she has a level head. She heard strange things.

Inez Mullin was a lady who looked over Lindsay because somebody had to. Her exact age is unknown, but she's really old. She was a close friend of Lindsay’s father. Her husband was a paraplegic archeologist. Mrs Mullin shares the same hearing trait as Lindsay.

Setting:
The setting of this book was modern day Illinois. Specifically, it took place in Springdale, a small fictional college town. The setting was important to the storyline because Lindsay references the people and things around her several times throughout the book. The time period was important because the issues that Lindsay overcame are modern day issues. This excluded her special talent.

Thematic Connection:
There were lots of themes in this book, but the main one was that Lindsay should have disregarded negative comments. This theme was very important because if she paid too much attention to all the negative things about herself, she would have became depressed. The theme became evident when the Lindsay had a revelation about how critical she was of herself.

Recommendation:
I would recommend this book to middle schoolers because some of the content was pretty cheesy. Both males and females would enjoy this book, even though the main character is a female. This is because it has universal subject matter, and it also has both male and female characters.

[Rachael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lindsay Scott was a childhood actress who had everything—until the day her horrible new skill showed up. From that day on, Lindsay was able to hear everything that anyone said about her not matter where they were. And with everyone talking about her, it nearly drove her crazy. She escaped from the public eye when her show was cancelled and she moved to a small town in Illinois with her father. Now sixteen, Lindsay’s still hiding out at home, her only refuge from the onslaught of voices she normally hears. Everything changes when Lindsay is “rescued” by a couple of local teens. She is forced to face all she’s been running from, the very nature of her strange talent. Are there other like her? And what does it really mean to hear others the way Lindsay does?

I was primarily interested in reading Claim to Fame because I enjoyed Haddix’s Shadow Children series when I was younger. From what I remember, not much has changed about Haddix’s writing, and if anything, I actually think her earlier writing was better. I did enjoy reading this story, but despite the uniqueness of Lindsay’s interesting skill and her kidnapping in this book’s opening scenes, it just wasn’t very exciting or interesting. In addition, the characters weren’t the most realistic either. Most of them, Lindsay included, felt only partially developed. And sadly, what was one of the original selling points for me, Lindsay’s ability to hear what others said about her, wasn’t nearly as intriguing as I hoped it would be. The whole effect was rather anticlimactic and flat. Overall, this novel could’ve been much better.

Claim to Fame may be enjoyed by fans of Haddix’s earlier writing. Based on my lack of enthusiasm for this story, I don’t think I’d pick up a sequel if there ever is one.

reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com

[H · Rating 2 out of 5]

I started off absolutely loving this book. The kidnapping, Roz, Toby, how she could hear anything anyone said about her . . . it was all so good. It fell apart for me about two-thirds of the way through, about when she realized her mom was in a mental institution. I just didn't feel like the end (or last third) of the book really fit with the beginning--it felt like it completely veered away from the book I'd thought I was reading. I know there were hints and foreshadowing and stuff, but it felt really disjointed. I was really disappointed with the ending, too. It went from her searching for her mom to, all of a sudden, a criminal released from prison coming after her. That was another sharp veer in the story. While I approve of surprises and twists and turns, these "veers" (as I've christened them) were too abrupt and too sharp and too unfounded to have the shock impact they were probably supposed to have--instead, they just left me feeling dissatisfied and confused. Also, with the end . . . did everyone all of a sudden know that Lindsay could hear voices? Because when they're waiting on her front lawn, she talks about what she hears and no one looks weirded out by it. It seemed like something so huge--her confiding in basically the whole town about her telepathic abilities--would warrant some comment about it from the author, but Haddix just took it for granted that we'd know. Anyway, although I really liked the characters (I loved Toby), this book was a disappointment to me.

[Dianne Salerni · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a longtime Margaret Peterson Haddix fan, starting with her first book Running Out of Time. I still use that one periodically in my fifth grade reading class. I have also enjoyed her Among the Hidden series, and I especially enjoyed her recent book Found. I had mixed feelings about Claim to Fame, however.

There were parts of the book that were creepy, and when I realized that the little town of Springdale was not exactly what it appeared to be, I had a quick flashback to the village of Clifton in Running Out of Time. And I definitely appreciated the theme, which revolved around the self-absorbed nature of teenagers and our media-conscious society.

Yet, I found the plot and character development a little uneven. There isn't a lot of suspense to the story, and Lindsay's worst nightmare is nothing more than an elderly neighbor woman who might discover more than she is willing for people to know. The tie to transcendentalism is interesting, but perhaps over the heads of the target audience. I found myself wishing Haddix had taken a different tack to the story - there seemed to be many possibilities that were not fully explored: the safe houses, the inmates in mental hospitals, the founders of Springdale, and the history of Lindsay herself. The supporting characters of Roz and Toby never gelled for me. I would have given them up willingly in favor of other characters tied to the secret of Springdale.

[Allison Buhler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Claim to Fame by Margaret Peterson Haddix, is about a young girl named Lindsey who has the ability to hear everything that anyone says about her throughout the world at any given time.
This gift that Lindsey has may seem like it would not be such a bad thing. At times haven't we all wondered what people say about us? The reality though to Lindsey is that this is anything, but a gift. Before Lindsey developed the ability to hear what others said of her, she was a successful actress.
When Lindsey starts to be able to hear the things that people are saying about her, she is drived to insanity, and leaves her acting career. Lindsey spends a great deal of time in the following years of her life alone in her only safe haven from the voices, her home.
Readers are able to connect easily with Lindsey. Though none of the readers have surely been through a situation exactly like Lindsey, Margaret Peterson Haddix makes readers feel as though they are truly know Lindsey and are able to relate to her.
Because of Lindsey’s condition she is often left feeling alone. Everyone at some point in their life has felt alone in some way, so readers are easily able to empathize with Lindsey along her journey through the book. Claim to Fame is a very excellent novel which leaves readers asking for more.

[Miki Garrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Margaret Peterson Haddix is one of my favorite authors, but I'll admit that I love some of her books far more than others. I don't know that I'd consider "Claim to Fame" one of my faves amongst her books, but it was definitely a good read.

In "Claim to Fame", Lindsey is an ex-child star, living in obscurity -- and able to hear everything that anyone says about her, from anywhere in the world. Not surprisingly, having such a talent sprout up just as you are hitting puberty as "the cute baby" of a TV family means hearing things that anyone would want to run away from. But when the book opens, Lindsey is 16, and being hit with circumstances and revelations that are pushing and prodding her out from her hiding place.

The only downfall for me in this book were there were so many "twists" that I could see coming well before Lindsey could. Especially when she is presented as incredibly intelligent and analytical, it was sometimes hard to buy over and over again that she just hadn't seen it coming because she was feeling so overwhelmed by everything that was going on.

That said, it's an incredibly minor flaw for me in an otherwise awesome book. Definitely well worth the read!

[Lana Krumwiede]

Margaret Peterson Haddix has a talent for making strange things seem completely plausible. Being more of a YA book, this story has a much stronger internal plot than some of her other middle-grade books.

[LibraryLaur · Rating 4 out of 5]

I almost always like Haddix's books, and this one was no exception. Original premise, fast pace, satisfying ending.

[Chazlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Lindsay Scott was 5 years old, she was an actress. She was on a TV show that was called “Just Me and the Kids”. She loved being on the show, acting, and being in the spotlight. Then she turned eleven and everything changed, she started hearing everything that anyone ever said about her. It didn’t matter where they were, they could be anywhere in the world and she still would hear it. She was kicked off the show because they thought she was crazy. All she wanted to do was go home, because when she was home, she couldn’t hear what they were saying anymore. Her house was safe. But then one day, her dad died, and everything changed. She finds she isn’t the only one who has heard these voices.
I really liked this book, because it’s so intense. You don’t know what will happen next, and when you read what actually does happen next you just want to read more.
It was really good to read because so many new characters come in to piece together more of the story, and it gives much more detail than what only Lindsay would’ve had.
I liked this book because it never was boring to read, something new was always happening and making the story better.
I would recommend this book, because I really enjoyed it and feel other people will too. It’s very interesting and new events keep happening in the story that make it so intense. New characters come in and give much more background and information for the story, and create new problems that need to be solved before you can get to the main conclusion. It’s a great book.

[Linnie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Once again I hated one of Margaret Peterson Haddix's books. I keep reading them because the ideas are so good for all of them. But the books themselves are awful.

For me, my biggest issue was the ending. If you want a book that resolves issues, you are not going to love this one. The entire book focuses on a specific issue, but never resolves it. The main character finally discovers where her Mom really is (something that was horribly hidden from the beginning with her being "gone.") Suddenly the book ends and we're told in a rushed epilogue of sorts what the characters did to help her Mom and whether or not it worked.

Not to mention, less than twenty pages before the end a brand new problem was introduced that was resolved literally two pages later and it was completely un-frightening and irrelevant. My eyes got their eye-rolling workout at that part.

The characters? Super fake seeming. I'm literally so tired of her books and this time I won't go back on my word and read another one.

[Kate Shanks · Rating 2 out of 5]

In April, Margaret Peterson Haddix will be visiting our local junior high. To prepare for her visit, I wanted to read a few titles. As much as I wanted to like "Claim to Fame".....I found it to be formulaic, predictable, and very slow. Lindsey is able to hear voices and having been a child star.....she is able to hear everything that her fans say about her. Unfortunately, the only way Lindsey can escape these voices is to stay in her father's house in Illinois. As Lindsey uncovers more about the mystery of these voices, her family, and her past.....she hopes to find answers so she can live a "normal" life.

[Jeni Enjaian · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book took a turn I did not expect. I should have expected it coming from Haddix who tends to deal in fairly contemporary settings with a twist of something supernatural, something unexpected and just beyond the suspension of disbelief.
In the end, however, I could not connect with Lindsay. Her story did not make sense. Her reactions in the initial "kidnapping" scene confused me. Once she revealed her secret, they sort of made sense. However, Haddix completely botched the chance to bring the reader in to empathize with Lindsay.
Since I could not connect to the character, I never really enjoyed the book. Thankfully, it did not take me long to read.

[Auden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book with interesting premise. I like Margaret Peterson Haddix's writing style and how she incorporates sci fi elements into her novels. Lindsey's narration was good, she felt like a very realistic, emotionally compelling character. The ending felt a bit rushed and I wished there was more explanation about Lindsey's "powers" and development of the relationships. I did really appreciate how the story approached grief, complex relationships with a parent, friendship, and connection with God.
I wish Toby and Lindsey had had more romantic moments tho! Lol

[Ranette · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't get into this book with the supernatural references. A girl who was an actress can hear what every one is saying about her. Many people with this ability end up in hospitals. She tries to find her mother.

[Caitie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well this could’ve been very interesting, but instead it was just kind of dumb. Was the fantasy/sci-fi stuff really necessary? Not in my opinion—personally I think this would’ve worked better if it was just a former child star working out her issues.

[Kelly Carey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not my favorite books by this author. The Sci-Fi elements were present, but the action was lacking.

[Lillian Fonseca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing book. It was a really nice story and I would recommend this book to people who enjoy fantasy.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really cool book!

[Bailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book enough to read it at least 3 times over the past few years. It’s an easy read but it keeps you interested.

[Em theglitterybookworm_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

but-but