Starring Tracy Beaker is a children’s novel by Jacqueline Wilson, part of the Tracy Beaker series, following Tracy as she is cast in her school production of A Christmas Carol and becomes determined to make her performance count. Tracy’s excitement about playing Scrooge is mixed with the hope that her glamorous, unreliable mother might come to watch, while Cam is the steady adult helping her learn her lines and keep going. The story combines school drama, humour, family longing and the sharp voice that makes Tracy both difficult and deeply understandable, especially as she tries to prove she can be a star while still coping with disappointment, pride and the need to be seen. It speaks to readers interested in funny, character-driven children’s fiction about foster care, friendship, performance and the complicated question of what a child hopes for when applause, attention and love are not always the same thing.
Author: Jacqueline Wilson
Publisher: Doubleday Children’s Books
Year of publication: 2006
Number of pages: 208
Original language: English
Age range: 9–15