Twelfth

Maren, a twelve-year-old girl, attends theater camp with her sister Hadley and bunkmate Theo. When a prank goes wrong, Maren is drawn into a hunt for a diamond ring linked to Charlotte Charlie Goodman, a promising director in Blacklist Era Hollywood. Maren and her friends must find the ring before camp closes forever, but they are not the only ones searching for it.

Format: Hardback
Length: 368 pages
Publication date: 02 June 2022
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company

Twelve-year-old Maren is certain that theater camp is not for her. Theater camp is for loud, confident, artistic people: people like her older sister, Hadley, the last person Maren wants to think about, and her cinema-obsessed, nonbinary bunkmate, Theo. But when a prank goes wrong, Maren gets drawn into the hunt for a diamond ring that, legend has it, is linked to the camp's namesake, Charlotte Charlie Goodman, a promising director in Blacklist Era Hollywood.

When Maren connects the clues to Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, she and her new friends are off searching through lighting booths, orchestra pits, and costume storages, discovering the trail and dodging camp counselors. But they're not the only ones searching for the ring, and with the growing threat of camp closing forever, they're almost out of time.

As they delve deeper into the mystery, Maren learns that Charlotte was a talented director who was forced to leave Hollywood after being accused of being a communist. She was known for her bold and innovative films, but her career was cut short when she was blacklisted.

Maren and her friends are determined to find the ring and prove Charlotte's innocence. They follow the clues to a small theater in the woods, where they discover a hidden room filled with old film reels and memorabilia. Among the items is a script for Charlotte's unfinished film, which tells the story of a young actress who is caught up in the political turmoil of the Blacklist Era.

As Maren reads the script, she begins to see Charlotte's passion and talent for directing. She realizes that the diamond ring is not just a symbol of Charlotte's past, but a way to honor her legacy and ensure that her work is not forgotten.

With the help of her new friends, Maren and her sister Hadley work to save the camp and bring Charlotte's film to life. They stage a performance of the script in front of the camp's director, who is impressed by their dedication and talent.

In the end, the camp is saved, and Charlotte's film is released to critical acclaim. Maren and her friends are hailed as heroes, and Charlotte's legacy is preserved.

As Maren looks back on the experience, she realizes that theater camp was not just about acting or singing, but about connecting with others and discovering your passion. She knows that she will never forget the lessons she learned at camp and the friends she made along the way.

Weight: 420g
Dimension: 232 x 142 x 36 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780316669313