Lights, Camera, Brains?

Twelve-year-old Marty Rucker's dream of going to space camp lifts off in T minus two months. But when his drama teacher dad loses his job, Marty's Camp Cosmos money is needed to help pay the bills. It looks like his astronaut dreams will languish on the launchpad until Marty sees an open casting call for a Crunchy Clowns cereal commercial. He auditions, hoping to earn enough cash for his camp fee.

Instead of giving him the commercial gig, the producer taps Marty for the lead role in the musical zombie sitcom, Zeke Street​​--which would be totally cool if Marty weren't super squeamish. Now the kid who can't swallow soggy cereal has to train himself to stomach hand sandwiches without upchucking every take. But Marty has bigger headaches than scrambled brains for breakfast, including an obnoxious stage dad, rabid fans, and a rival actor who sabotages Marty's scenes. Still, with foreclosure looming and his sights set on the stars, Marty must decide: leave his best friend and move in with his grandparents in another state or find a way to endure being undead, even if it kills him.

Characterized by exciting, fast-paced plots and age-appropriate themes, Harbor's Hi-Lo books are both engaging and easy to read. Short chapters, simple sentence structures, and an accessible format make these books perfect for tween reluctant readers. Harbor books are written at a 2nd- to 3rd-grade reading level with an interest level of ages 10 and up.