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Casting April
Not yet published
Expected 16 Jun 26Twelve-year-old April is a spectacular actress and is determined to land the starring role in the school play but no one believes she can do it because of her tracheostomy tube—a heartwarming story of friendship, identity, and the importance of chasing your dreams.
Sixth grader April Xue lives and breathes all things Broadway. When she builds up the courage to audition for the lead role in the school play, she thinks she's knocked it out of the park — until she finds out that she's been assigned to the stage crew. April is devastated—it seems like the curtain is closing on her dream of being an actor.
A day later, April overhears that the theater director, Ms. Rooney, decided not to cast her because she's disabled. With the help of her best friend, a sneaky student reporter, and her spirited castmates, April learns to confront her own insecurities as a performer and proves to everyone (including Ms. Rooney) that she deserves a fair shot — all in time for opening night.
Sixth grader April Xue lives and breathes all things Broadway. When she builds up the courage to audition for the lead role in the school play, she thinks she's knocked it out of the park — until she finds out that she's been assigned to the stage crew. April is devastated—it seems like the curtain is closing on her dream of being an actor.
A day later, April overhears that the theater director, Ms. Rooney, decided not to cast her because she's disabled. With the help of her best friend, a sneaky student reporter, and her spirited castmates, April learns to confront her own insecurities as a performer and proves to everyone (including Ms. Rooney) that she deserves a fair shot — all in time for opening night.
288 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication June 16, 2026
70 people want to read
About the author
Wendy Lu
1 book57 followersWendy Lu is a journalist, a children’s book author, and a global speaker on disability representation in the media. For years, she has worked as an editor and a reporter covering disability, politics, and culture. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, HuffPost, Teen Vogue, Refinery29, and more. She was named on Forbes’s 30 Under 30 for her efforts to improve disability coverage. Wendy is also the author of “Casting April,” a contemporary middle-grade novel from Penguin Random House about a talented disabled girl who loves all things Broadway — and who would do anything for the spotlight. She is represented by Abigail Frank at Greenburger Kids. Wendy lives in New York with her husband, Andrew, and their turtle, Little Cloud.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
View this review on my blog:
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0 stars romance - middle grade, so very clean
0 stars language - once again, middle grade
Thank you Penguin Random House for the ARC! This review is my own facts and opinions.
☆⛤♥⭑plot⭑♥⛤☆
April has lived her whole life with a tracheotomy tube, something that helps her breathe and that she needs to live. However, it sticks out from her neck and is very visible. She doesn’t let that stop her. She absolutely loves musical theater and when she sees her school is doing a play she signs up immediately. She thinks her audition goes great, but then she is regulated to stage crew, with no acting role whatsoever. She overhears the theater teacher say that the reason she isn’t cast is because of her tube and she creates a plan to show Mrs. Rooney (the teacher) that she can do it.
☆⛤♥⭑thoughts⭑♥⛤☆
I LOVED this book! I really enjoyed reading this book. It reminded me of A Chance To Fly, a book in which Nat (who is in a wheelchair) tries out for Wicked and has a role with no dancing and has to fight for her role. I really hope that the author writes more books because I really enjoyed reading this story. It was a page-turner because I was really invested in the story and really enjoyed reading it!
☆⛤♥⭑april⭑♥⛤☆
April was such a fun character and she threw herself into the whole show. She was a very strong character who fought to be seen as more than her disability. She was very kind, even when people were rude to her about her tracheotomy. I felt for her, as she expected to have a good role, even the lead role and to be regulated to absolutely nothing on stage and just an offstage role. When she had to deal with other kids, she was kind and patient to a point and then she would say what needed to be said.
☆⛤♥⭑theater⭑♥⛤☆
As someone who loves theater, the music, watching the shows, being in them, all of it, this book was like a dream come true. It felt very realistic and just how I remember my last few shows. The kids in the show were all passionate, but there was that one kid who just doesn’t really care.
xoxo
emma
https://emmaisabookworm.blogspot.com/...
Watch me unbox this book!
https://youtube.com/shorts/heyV_7dDAS...
Follow my Youtube for unboxings and other bookish content!
https://www.youtube.com/@EmmaIsABookworm
0 stars romance - middle grade, so very clean
0 stars language - once again, middle grade
Thank you Penguin Random House for the ARC! This review is my own facts and opinions.
☆⛤♥⭑plot⭑♥⛤☆
April has lived her whole life with a tracheotomy tube, something that helps her breathe and that she needs to live. However, it sticks out from her neck and is very visible. She doesn’t let that stop her. She absolutely loves musical theater and when she sees her school is doing a play she signs up immediately. She thinks her audition goes great, but then she is regulated to stage crew, with no acting role whatsoever. She overhears the theater teacher say that the reason she isn’t cast is because of her tube and she creates a plan to show Mrs. Rooney (the teacher) that she can do it.
☆⛤♥⭑thoughts⭑♥⛤☆
I LOVED this book! I really enjoyed reading this book. It reminded me of A Chance To Fly, a book in which Nat (who is in a wheelchair) tries out for Wicked and has a role with no dancing and has to fight for her role. I really hope that the author writes more books because I really enjoyed reading this story. It was a page-turner because I was really invested in the story and really enjoyed reading it!
☆⛤♥⭑april⭑♥⛤☆
April was such a fun character and she threw herself into the whole show. She was a very strong character who fought to be seen as more than her disability. She was very kind, even when people were rude to her about her tracheotomy. I felt for her, as she expected to have a good role, even the lead role and to be regulated to absolutely nothing on stage and just an offstage role. When she had to deal with other kids, she was kind and patient to a point and then she would say what needed to be said.
☆⛤♥⭑theater⭑♥⛤☆
As someone who loves theater, the music, watching the shows, being in them, all of it, this book was like a dream come true. It felt very realistic and just how I remember my last few shows. The kids in the show were all passionate, but there was that one kid who just doesn’t really care.
xoxo
emma
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A joyful, big-hearted, curtain-raising triumph that’s impossible not to root for. Wendy Lu crafts an unforgettable heroine in April Xue, whose love for theater shines brighter than any spotlight—and whose journey captures both the sting of being underestimated and the thrill of stepping up anyway. With warmth, wit, and empathy, the story explores friendship, self-confidence, and fighting for your place when the world tries to sideline you. A love letter to kids who dare to dream big and demand to be seen—sure to be an instant and timeless classic.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Disclaimer that I am the author’s husband and thus, I suppose, biased. That said, this is an incredibly powerful story about a talented theater kid and the assumptions that stand in her way. Wendy has written a compelling, charming, and nuanced character in April, whom readers of all backgrounds will identify with in her struggle to make her voice heard. Fans of musical theatre, Chinese diaspora literature, coming-of-age stories, and even sci-fi will all find something to love in this book!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews