Annabel the Actress Starring in Just A Little Extra

From School Library Journal Grade 2-3-In this series installment, young Annabel doesn't just sit around waiting for her first big break. When she learns that a famous director is shooting some movie scenes in her hometown, she's sure she will be "discovered." Desperate to be noticed among all of the wanna-be extras, she fakes a fainting fit and is assisted by one of the stars. Once in front of the camera, she handles the work well. When the movie is shown on TV, the final version of the scene surprises her, providing a lesson for her future film career. If something is missing from this story, it may be a sense of Annabel's maturation. She's so self-centered and engrossed in her acting career that she's an inadequate friend and tiresome daughter, and there's no sign of any growth in her character. Andriani's pen-and-ink illustrations follow the story closely while they break up the text.