“Shooting Stars,” by Allison Rushby, Walker Children’s, Feb. 28, 2012, $9.99 (ages 12 and up)
Zo Jo may only be in high school, but that hasn’t kept her from working hard — she’s one of the best paparazzi in the business. Jo’s been using her pint-sized form to her advantage and getting the shots no one else can get and she doesn’t mind doing what it takes to get them.
Not that Jo is planning on being a paparazzo for the rest of her life. She’s just in it to get money for school so that she can become a respected portrait photographer. But school’s a lot of money, and when a high-paying special assignment comes her way, Jo can’t turn it down — even if that means going undercover and secretly shooting the one star who has ever been nice to her.
“Shooting Stars” is a light, clean read that feels like a Disney Channel/ABC Family movie in the making. It’s enjoyable enough, with plot twists readers may not be expecting, though parts of it feel a bit too convenient. Author Allison Rushby’s prose is quick and accessible, and Jo is a likable character, but there’s nothing overly dynamic here. Though more mature readers may want more substance, younger teens will likely eat up this Hollywood tale.
