Mary Margaret, Center Stage (review)

Mary Margaret (from Mary Margaret and the Perfect Pet Plan, BCCB 6/04) has returned with a new fixation: she wants to star in the class play of Cinderella. Unfortunately, the role goes to the new girl, Ellie, whose modest perfection gets seriously under Mary Margaret's skin and whom our narrator was particularly hoping to outshine. A determined Mary Margaret wangles her way into being Cinderella's understudy, secretly hoping she'll be able to convince Ellie to step aside for the actual performance, but her growing closeness with Ellie makes it harder and harder for her to dislike her rival. This has all the sprightly appeal of the previous title and then some, with Mary Margaret indisputably the kind of kid described, sometimes ruefully, as a "live wire." Her dogged insistence on always being first and best, noticed and included makes her realistically annoying (her ability to push her older brother's buttons is particularly finely honed) even as she's also understandable and sympathetic; though capable of growth and reflection, she's believably resistant to them ("Things would go a lot better for me if everyone would stop 'expecting more' from me," she grumbles). MacLean's writerly craftsmanship allows her to convey contrasting viewpoints through other characters' reactions despite her narrator's overwhelming personality and certainty, so the book gently points readers to subtextual as well as textual decoding. Throughout, there's a knowing and comradely humor that will put readers at ease; whether they're Mary Margarets themselves or not, they'll appreciate her energetic pursuit of her dream.