YALSA Teen's Top Ten: When You Get the Chance

Summary:
Millie, a talented teen and aspiring actress has her heart set on an exclusive precollege clinic that happens to be across the country. When her dad rejects the idea and happens to leave an important browser window open, Millie formulates a plan to find her mom. The LiveJournal Millie saw in the browser gives 3 possibilities that include Steph, a still-aspiring stage actress and receptionist at a talent agency. There's Farrah, dance teacher who obviously has dance talent that Millie does not. And Beth, the kind stage enthusiast with an equally exuberant fifteen-year-old daughter . Millie enlists her lifelong friend Teddy in what she calls her "Mamma Mia" search. Through missteps and mistakes, Millie comes to learn that seeking a new life generally brings you back to what you already have.

Criteria:
I found this book when I searched YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) for a top ten book. It was published quite recently and I hadn't read it.  School Library Journal said this would "make a great addition to school and public library collections," and BookList said that "anyone craving a happily ever after will want Millie to take a series of curtain calls."

Response:
Millie would have driven me crazy as a teenager (I had a student tell me that another student "she's just.... a LOT, ya know?" Millie is a lot...). However, adult me loves her spunk and flair for drama. I loved the lifelong friends -- and a rival -- that we got to know through Millie. As Millie journeyed toward finding her mom we saw her grow, mature, and soften. I thought Millie and her dad had a realistic relationship for a single dad and teenager. Meaning, it had some bumps but nothing time and real conversation can't work out. I found the pace of it perfect for a teenager in NYC interacting with 3 women regularly to determine which one is her mom. I enjoyed all of this: the characters, the story, the interactions. I will be looking for more Emma Lord books soon.

Lord, Emma. When You Get the Chance. Wednesday Books, 2023.

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