Carter's Big Break

In CARTER FINALLY GETS IT, freshman Will Carter feels like he has truly made it. He scores the lead in the school musical Guys and Dolls, and he has an incredibly hot girlfriend. Yeah, his grades still stink, and his best friend, EJ, has gotten way more "lucky" with the ladies, but life is looking pretty good. It would be nice to get a summer job as lifeguard at the local pool, but that's looking fairly iffy. Right now, the only employment prospect involves helping his dad tear off the old deck and rebuild. That's when Carter hears Hollywood is actually planning to film a movie in his little hometown of Merrian. After his success in Guys and Dolls, Carter has a fascination and an appreciation for acting. He and his girlfriend, Abby, decide to try out for the movie. They are familiar with the script based on the book Down Gets Out, which was written by a native of Merrian. C. B. Down came to town to see the school musical and even praised Carter's work, leaving him hopeful about landing a part in the movie. His dream comes true when he is cast as the lead, a young C. B. Down. Unfortunately, Abby only gets the understudy role for the female lead. That's a bummer for Abby, but not so much for Carter, since it means he will be acting opposite Hilary Idaho, an incredibly popular young star. It's the chance of a lifetime, and he knows his pals are going to be totally jealous. Despite the movie producer's doubts, Carter is a natural. His improvising pleases everyone, but he finds out acting isn't as easy as it looks. The stress causes him sleepless nights and constant upheaval in his relationships with friends and family. As time passes, he sees the same stress take its toll on Hilary, his fellow actor. She is spinning out of control, and Carter begins to notice that he is the only one who seems to care. Fans of Brent Crawford's first CARTER novel will be jumping at the chance to find out about Carter's latest adventures. This second book features typical Carter antics and humor; however, there is a bit darker cast to the plot. Crawford shows Carter dealing with some life-changing experiences and facing some tough facts about how people treat one another. Carter is growing up, but so are his fans, who will take these changes in stride, just as they will in their own lives. Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"