Starlet Rivals

Gr 5 Up–Twelve-year-old Bela dreams of being a Bollywood star. When her family convinces her to submit a video to compete on Dance Starz, the biggest talent show in India, she wins the contest and the prize of attending the prestigious Bollywood Academy in Mumbai. She misses her family and friends when she moves to the school several hours away but settles into her new life quickly. Bela is chosen for auditions and photoshoots, making Monica, a fellow student who grew up in the industry with a famous movie-producer father, jealous. The friendships and rivalries between the insider kids with familial ties to the business and outsider kids like Bela change when a news story breaks about nepotism in the industry. Bela continues to navigate the mounting pressure of being a star as stories in tabloids and on social media don’t always show the reality of being a celebrity. Readers will enjoy this glimpse into the glamorous world of Bollywood show business. This first book in a series opens the curtain for more scene-stealing moments in the future.