Superstar

Stella Batts #8

by Courtney Sheinmel, Jennifer A. Bell (Illustrator)

Meet Stella Batts. She's in third grade, she wants to be a writer, and her parents own a wonderful candy shop. Life should be good, right? And now she's back and ready to start writing her eighth book about her favorite subject--her life! In Superstar, Stella gets the chance to audition for her favorite television show, Superstar Sam, after a casting director spots Stella out for dinner with her family. He said she is perfect for the role. Stella rehearses her lines until she knows the part by heart. Her little sister, Penny, is jealous but sometimes older sisters get to do things little sisters can't. But the audition doesn't go as planned. Stella was sure she had the part. Now will she ever get a chance to show her acting skills and meet her favorite actress?

Genres: Fiction, Audiobook, Childrens, Chapter Books, Middle Grade, Humor

101 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 1, 2015

About the author

Born in California. Raised in New York. Went to law school, now write full time. Love: long walks, fresh notebooks, the smell of brownies, pomegranate seeds. Don't love: yogurt, spam (the email kind, and the food kind), deep water, deserted city streets.

Newest book: THE SECRETS OF LOVELACE ACADEMY, co-written with Marie Benedict, available on April 22, 2025.

I love to hear from readers! Email me! Ask a question! I promise to reply.

Reviews

[Steven R. McEvoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughters favorite in the series even after a second reading. Full review below.
...
My oldest and I have been reading the Stella Batts books for a few years now. And recently I started reading them with my youngest daughter as well. These books hold up well even to several readings over multiple years. My oldest is a most reluctant reader, but she always enjoys the Stella Batts stories, and now she can read a whole book to me in 2 or three sittings. It was her idea to reread these books and we are now more than half way through the series a second time. But now back to this specific book.

The books in the Stella Batts series form one continuous story. Each is written as if it a story written by Stella about her own life. Her life revolves around family, friends, and her families store Batts Confections. The focus in the book is family, friendship, and forgiveness. While Stella and her family are out at a restaurant, they meet a talent scot who wants to have Stella audition for a small part in a Superstar Sam episode being filmed locally. Superstar Sam is Stella’s favorite show and she is terribly excited. But that excitement soon turns to resentment and jealousy, but to find out why you will need to read the book.

In this volume Stella has another run in with Joshua. And things escalate. Stella even must call and apologise to him. But her Mother helps her see things from a different angle, and this conflict that has been ongoing since the first volume seems to turn a corner.

As always there are several illustrations by Jennifer A. Bell scattered throughout the book. A few full-page illustrations and many smaller pieces interspersed in the text. My girls love the illustrations. And the story.

One of the things that we appreciate most about this series is that it is in the genre of realistic fiction. The events and characters could be our family, they could be family or friends from the neighbourhood or school. We always have great discussions after reading a Stella Batts book, not only what do they like about the book, but how it applies to them. And this one has two great lessons. The first as mentioned earlier is the Stella – Joshua conflict. And the Second is Stella’s jealousy of her sister penny, and her coming through in a big way to support her sister when the time counts.

This is a great Middle Grade read. A great book in an excellent series!

Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Courtney Sheinmel.

[Meg GlitteryOtters · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[A. D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was my favorite book in the series,but I have not read the ninth or the tenth book yet.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book #8 deals with jealousy. Stella is "discovered" by a local talent scout to audition for a part in a TV show she loves. Her sister gets to audition too, and Penny is chosen for the role. Hard for an older sister to handle disappointment and jealousy.
Readers see her rise to the occasion and find a way to connect with her class nemesis, Joshua, too.

[Haneen]

Stella is really brave. This book is really good. This series was one of the first and best series I ever read.

[AMY · Rating 5 out of 5]

79 pgs. This book is another in a great realistic series about Stella and her family. This time she meets a casting director who wants her to audition for a part in a tv show. It is a very popular show and Stella is very excite. However, when her sister begs to try out and gets the part, Stella is not happy. She has to work through her jealousy in this one. Great realistic situations. Girls will enjoy this one as well as the rest of the series. Highly recommended for Grades 3-4.

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the way the conflict was set up in this book (Stella is invited to audition for a small part on her favorite TV show, but the role goes to her younger sister instead), but not the way it was resolved. There were too many twists and turns to the ending, and it wound up feeling inauthentic instead of unpredictable.

[Emi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This whole series is so wholesome, sweet and inventive as we read about the lives of eight year olds. Love how the character wants to be a writer, and that theme ties in with her lists and using writing as her outlet into the world. So stinking cute.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Penny is my favorite.

[Anjalica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome lesson

[Kylie Abecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great feel-good book for young readers.

[Anna Salvesen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I liked that Stella stood up for her sister at the end of the book and she let her sister perform instead of her.

[PottWab Regional Library]

SM

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

When a casting director overhears Stella Batts while she and her family are at a restaurant and arranges for her to audition for a part on a television show, Stella is thrilled. Although it turns out that the man is related to Joshua Lewis, the classmate who teases Stella frequently, the show features her favorite actress and her favorite show, Superstar Sam. But things don't go the way Stella plans, and her little sister Penny gets the part. Stella is jealous, and behaves unkindly to those around her. When Penny is too afraid to play her part, what will Stella do? This eighth title in the series continues to impress me, especially since the relationships among Stella and those around her continue to unfold. I like how both mothers, Joshua's and Stella's, insisted on their offspring apologizing for their rude and hurtful behavior. The detailed illustrations highlight many important plot points and allow readers to glimpse the action in the book. Given this book and the series featuring Starring Jules as Herself, I wonder if it's as easy as it seems to be discovered and made into a star?

[Kaytee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think that this book was a little to emotional but this book had the guts to read at least three times.

[Farzana]

It was a nice story. I felt how Stella felt when she did not get to be a part in the show. I would have done the same thing if I was Stella. All I could say is IT WAS A NICE STORY!!!!!!