Summer Unscripted

Rainie Langdon—a theater newbie and somewhat listless high school junior—begs her former best friend Ella to help her get a job as an actor-tech at a summer stock theater so Rainie can stay close to Tuck, the boy she has a crush on. Once the girls arrive at the theater, Rainie discovers that Tuck’s costar is also his girlfriend; soon, she loses interest in the job, feels terribly out of place, and wants to go home. After the arrival of Milo, Ella’s ex, Rainie finds a new reason to stay, though she’s reluctant to admit it, and Ella disapproves. Klein (Shuffle, Repeat) follows a familiar path in her story of romantic entanglements; preparations for and performances of the show provide backdrops for mild friendship and relationship upheaval, as two boys vie for Rainie’s heart and she discovers that the stage may be right for her after all. This is a bright and breezy romance, and watching Rainie fall for Milo and the theater should please the drama crowd. Ages 12–up. Agent: Lisa Gallagher, DeFiore & Company. (June)