cover image My Aunt Ruth

My Aunt Ruth

Iris Rosofsky. HarperCollins Publishers, $13.89 (215pp) ISBN 978-0-06-025088-1

Patty, a high school junior, has always wanted to become an actress just like her glamorous aunt, and is thrilled to land roles in school productions of Our Town and Romeo and Juliet . Aunt Ruth, considered somewhat irresponsible by Patty's parents, is beset by a serious health problem that alters Patty's perceptions of her family. She must learn to balance her excitement about acting with a growing understanding of her non-artistic and business-minded parents, her best friend's jealousy and her own changing goals--all of which seem overshadowed by her aunt's illness. Character development is Rosofsky's ( Miriam ) strong suit as she describes the ways in which Patty overcomes these adversities. The novel's heady glimpse of acting as a career will appeal to budding thespians. Ages 12-up. (May)