EJ12 Girl Hero: Drama Queen

Susannah McFarlane (author)

Lemon Fizz Media, Scholastic, Australia: February 2011; 126pp

ISBN: 9781921684227

Genres: action, adventure, mystery

EJ12 is back and this time SHINE is sending her into the moving-making business to keep tabs on an actress who plays a spy. But is it all an act?

As EJ12 quickly realizes, Sydney Radisson is a much better actor than she appears and her real work is for the nefarious SHADOW agency which is threatening the city's water supply. One reservoir has already been turned into mysterious pink balls using a super-absorbent polymer. Can EJ12 stop Sydney before she attacks the next reservoir? Can she find a way to reverse the damage? EJ12 may be a bit of a drama queen herself at home but on the job she's a cool-headed agent, doing her best for her country.

Susannah McFarlane is a talented writer who understands her target audience. EJ12 suffers all the normal anxieties and problems of a young girl but her other life both uses her gifts and allows her to find ways to cope with her Real Life issues. Very upbeat, with strong female role models, McFarlane's EJ12 series encourages girls to be strong, independent and interested in the world around them. While occasionally a little contrived, Drama Queen is amusing light reading for younger readers.