Ella dropped her bag and stared at the poster pinned to the noticeboard. A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Titania. Oberon. Puck. Ella saw a cloud of fairies. A moonlit forest. Filmy dresses with butterfly wings. She sighed. Would she have the courage to audition? Probably not. Her heart pounded at the very thought of it.
Ella dreams of being an actor, but when auditions for the school play are advertised, she knows she won’t try out.. It’s impossible to be on stage when you suffer stage fright. Instead, she’ll be part of the stage crew, like she was last year. Still, she wishes it could be different.
When the grandfather she’s never met comes back from England and moves in, things start to change. Grandpa is a retired actor, and is keen to encourage Lucy to follow her dreams. Lucy assures him that she doesn’t want to act, but Grandpa seems to see through her. Grandpa is the only change in Lucy’s life. Her best friend Gina seems no longer interested in the same things and there’s a new boy at school who seems conceited, but still seems to be everywhere Ella goes.
In the Wings is a moving story of self-discovery, friendship and family. There are several issues explored, but the issues don’t overshadow the story, which will appeal to tween readers.
In the Wings, by Elsbeth Edgar
Walker Books, 2013
ISBN 9781922077325
Available from good bookstores or online .