Spin the Bottle Book

Middle school is an Entirely New Planet. The girls look fully grown in the most glamorous and complicated ways, and the boys look . . . well, weird. The good news? Drama Club. Real Drama Club—with actual auditions, and roles involving more than the days of the week. Phoebe Hart has waited a long time for this. The stage, after all, is the one place the “flawed and unremarkable” Phoebe can let her inner star out. But when she learns of the opening night tradition—a game of Spin the Bottle—things suddenly get way more complicated. Enter: a heart-stopping crush, a best friend who might not be, two bloodthirsty Drama Divas, and a certain spinning bottle. Is it worth all the drama for a girl who just wants to fit in, and maybe prove her acting chops along the way? Welcome to middle school, Phoebe Hart.

School Library Journal

Gr 5-7- Phoebe is excited to be starting seventh grade. The aspiring actress is finally able to join Drama Club, a day she has been preparing for since elementary school. No more class plays but genuine productions with auditions. Then she discovers how much drama she has to endure before rehearsals start: mean divas, a crush, digestive malfunctions, and a rift between her and a friend. Despite all this, Phoebe perseveres and is disappointed to find herself cast in the Mission Choir in Guys and Dolls . Things only get worse when she finds out that everyone in the cast is expected to play spin the bottle. Phoebe's voice is funny and intelligent. She deals with teenage angst with flair and humor as she learns that staying true to yourself is more important than being popular.-Angela M. Boccuzzi-Reichert, Merton Williams Middle School, Hilton, NY