Parents' Guide to Take It from the Top

Musical theater buffs and Wicked fans will love this fun, thoughtful book about two besties in conflict at theater camp. Though readers who aren't musical-obsessed might feel lost in Take It from the Top's laser-focused story full of references to theater and musicals, there are still many issues tween readers will recognize. The book zeroes in on the pressures of performance with aplomb, while providing lots of attention to friendship drama, crushes, and family-of-origin perspectives.

Some readers may wonder about camp counselor Eva, who's from Israel, and her harsh and overly critical characterization, which might bring to mind stereotypes about aggressive Jewish women. To be clear, the book doesn't state that Eva is Jewish, and there aren't any other overt stereotypes associated with her character, but her contrast to the other counselors who are kind, supportive, and specifically described as Christian is, at the very least, worth looking at critically. Aside from this issue, the pitch-perfect depictions of a friendship in conflict and class tension ring true. Tween readers will find themselves bouncing from camp cabin to the stage along with the relatable characters.