A Midsummer Tights Dream

October 1, 2012

Gr 7-10-Knobby-kneed, Irish dancer Tallulah Casey is thrilled to be back for her second term at a performing-arts school and can hardly wait to see her friends and the alluring (but confusing) lads she pined after last term. Tallulah is especially excited about showing off her maturing body (her "corkers" have grown) and utilizing all that she learned about boys from her more experienced cousin Georgia (the all-important "snogging scale"). However she gets more than she bargained for with a letter from her dream boy, trying to be just friends with her former crush, and having her face licked by the rebellious leader of the town's only metal band. On top of all this, Dother Hall may close unless the students raise enough funds to save it, and Tallulah has been passed over for the role of fairy queen and has to play the traditionally donkey-eared Bottom. Readers will enjoy Tallulah's use of hilarious British slang (don't worry, there is a glossary) and her vibrant personality, and off-kilter descriptions perfectly capture the exuberance and awkwardness of early adolescence. The book does have some pacing problems-the first two thirds or so move along slowly and the last few chapters are so action-packed they may induce whiplash-but this will not deter fans of the series or of the Georgia Nicholson books.-Gesse Stark-Smith, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2012
After discovering her talent for comedy at the end of Withering Tights (rev. 9/11), Tallulah is starting her first term as a permanent student in performing arts college at Dother Hall. There are some constants in Lullah's life: her "nobbly" knees, her Tree Sister friends, the Dobbinses (her crazy surrogate family), quirky teachers and townies, the harsh Yorkshire moor weather, and her lofty showbiz aspirations. However, other things are changing; for example, her "corkers" are finally growing, and she's trying to dress fashionably and apply some "Northern grit" to increase her confidence about snogging, boys, and acting. Also -- and more worrisome -- Dother Hall is in financial trouble and may have to close. No worries -- Lullah and her mates face the problem head-on with their usual brand of pluck. The story line is rather thin: Rennison is more concerned with character development, and she's at her best expressing Lullah's naivete and confusion about the state of her relationships with three different boys. It wouldn't be a Rennison book without plenty of humor, self-deprecation, and literary and musical references (and as usual, kudos to any American who can parse all of the Brit-slang, if not, there's a handy glossary). There's also more of Lullah's Irish dancing (this time dressed in "hairy tights and Mickey Mouse ears" and doing "an Irish donkey enchantment' dance" while playing Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream). Lullah's adoring fans will not be disappointed by this entertaining ride on "the showbiz express." cynthia k. ritter

(Copyright 2012 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 1, 2013
Tallulah (Withering Tights) is starting performing arts college at Dother Hall. While there are some constants in her life, other things are changing. Also, Dother Hall is in financial trouble, but Lullah and her plucky mates face the problem head-on. With plenty of humor, self-deprecation, and literary and musical references, Lullah's fans won't be disappointed by this entertaining ride.

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)