Hello Stars-A Book Review

Meet Lena Daniels!  A likeable, vibrant fifth grader with three younger sisters and parents who provide her plenty of love and support.  She pals with two best friends in school who all adore Mallory Winston, a popular, Christian music artist.  When Lena enters and wins Mallory's movie contest, she is thrilled, yet overwhelmed by expectations and the intense work required to produce the film.

Lena, with family in tow, spend the summer in Hollywood.  Lena is ecstatic about working with Mallory, yet misses her friends and Austin, her blue-nosed bully puppy. She finds comfort in her night time journal entries, often addressed to "Hello Stars" and is strengthened in believing in the movie's purpose to encourage families to trust in God, and in the Bible verses and prayers of her Dad.
 
The story is told in Lena's voice and well written for it's intended audience of young girls. The book is number one in the series, Lena in the Spotlight, and is a Zondervan kidz faithgirlz creation.  I was impressed with the way Lena's family expresses their faith daily and spontaneously. The authors illustrate how faith can be lived out very naturally for a Christian family.

The story is predictable with a light amount of conflict. Hearing Lena's inner voice, where emotions sometimes get messy, provides it's own kind of conflict which keeps the book interesting and engaging.  However, Lena is never disrespectful to her parents, intentionally disobedient or deceptive.

Movie productions are familiar to author Alena Pitt, who acted in The War Room movie.  Co-author, Wynter Pitt, founded For Girls Like You magazine.  Taken from the back cover, Wynter states her mission-"to empower and equip girls to walk boldly into becoming who God created them to be and to provide parents with the resources and support needed to raise strong Christ followers".

The book will have the most appeal to Christian families who want good material for preteen girls.

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.