by Karina Evans (Author)
A grandmother-granddaughter duo set off on the Hollywood adventure of a lifetime in this funny middle-grade novel about breaking rules, growing up, and finding yourself--perfect for fans of Wendy Mass and Booki Vivat.
Audrey Covington's parents are the textbook definition of strict--they don't let Audrey stay up late or watch scary movies, and they definitely don't let her go anywhere unsupervised. Audrey knows it's best to just accept the way it is. But her friends decide her parents' rules are getting in the way of all their fun and unceremoniously disinvite her from their annual start-of-summer slumber party so they aren't tied down by boring Audrey.
Now Audrey is stuck helping her parents move her former-movie-star grandmother into a luxury retirement community. When she finally manages to sneak off to her parents' car to check her phone, her grandmother climbs into the driver's seat and speeds off--not realizing Audrey is still in the back seat! After startling each other, they come to a deal: Audrey promises not to tell her parents where her grandma is if Audrey can join in on one last grand adventure--no rules allowed. But as the two make their way across Hollywood, they realize that the life they think they want might not be what they need.
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In Burbank, Calif., rising seventh grader Audrey Covington faces a whole summer without longtime best friends Sadia and Tamzin, on whom she's counting to help her navigate junior high. Devastated when they disinvite her from their annual end-of-the-year sleepover by text, citing her protective parents' strict guidelines, she finds her mother unwilling to make any changes. A chance to break some rules presents itself after Audrey's parents move her maternal grandmother--beloved former Hollywood star Nana Rhea, who's been facing paparazzi at her Hollywood home--to a retirement community. Nana Rhea, not truly ready for the adjustment, makes a break for it with Audrey in the car, and the two strike a deal that meets both their needs: one night on the town for Nana Rhea to visit old memories and for Audrey to explore her wild side. With Audrey's parents--and Nana Rhea's fans--hot on their tail, they get Audrey's ears pierced at a tattoo parlor, sneak into a Hollywood studio wardrobe to borrow glamorous attire, and crash an exclusive pool party. Tracing the duo's big night out with considerable verve, Evans (Grow Up, Tahlia Wilkins!) mixes a glamorous setting and quirky characters with deeper themes about growing up, as Audrey learns about her mother's struggles with Nana Rhea and the idea that adults face transitional change, too. Characters default to white. Ages 8-12. Agent: Jessica Mileo, InkWell Management. (Apr.)
Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.KARINA EVANS studied English and film studies at the University of Delaware before going into a career in the entertainment industry. She currently lives in Los Angeles, California. Grow Up, Tahlia Wilkins! is her first novel. She invites you to visit her online at karinaevans.com