Summary: Take It from the Top
Eowyn’s family is well-to-do and well-known in the musical theater industry, while Jules is from a poor family and literally goes to school in an overflow trailer. Eowyn’s mom died when she was eight,t and her doctor dad has raised her and her Broadway-star older brother since then. Eowyn’s dad is not as present in her life due to his focus on her brother and on his job. In contrast, Jules’ dad is out of commission with a bad back, and her mom works at a hair salon but never misses a show (Eowyn’s dad hasn’t been to a show since the first summer). We go back in time with alternating past and present chapters, following the girls through the last five summers and the present one to see how their relationship fell apart and how their long-awaited roles as leads in Wicked may repair it.
⭐️ June 2025 Patreon Book Club Pick. READ WITH US
The Good
I ADORED this story of two friends making their way back after a massive falling out. The alternating narrators and timelines make this novel an ambitious feat that the author executes to a tee. It’s also one of the elements of this story that makes it more suited for an older middle-grade audience. We learn about both girls slowly, and it soon becomes glaring at what point their friendship falls off the rails. This is a strong book club pick (we’re reading it in Patreon this summer — come join us!) because it’s hard to blame one girl entirely for the issues, and readers will empathize with a different girl, depending on their biases and backgrounds.
If you’re a sucker for setting in a story, this book is perfect for you! It’s set in a theater summer camp where the girls have been visiting for the last five years. We see their experiences at camp through the years, including a performance of The Sound of Music, and how they’ve changed over time. We’re also there with them in the present — their sixth year at camp — as they navigate a turbulent time in their friendship.
I love the focus on female friendships in this book and the way things like wealth, class, money, and privilege can affect friendship, even among tweens and teens. We also zoom in on sibling relationships and the grief of losing a parent, which Eowyn grapples with. Finally, there’s a teeny romance subplot as one of the girls finds a sweet friendship with a boy at camp.
READ WITH YOUR BOOK CLUB
Take It from the Top (Book Club Kit)
Reading Take It from the Top by Claire Swinarski with your kids’ book club? Use my book club kit as a handy discussion guide with five engaging activities for kids, including writing, drawing, coloring, and crafting options. This guide also includes links to supporting video content to keep your book club enjoyable for young readers ages 9-12. You’ll receive a free bookmark with your purchase.
Take It from the Top
In Take It from the Top, Swinarski’s writing brings summer camp — and a musical theater one, no less — to life so vividly. You can feel the mosquitoes, see the lake, hear the warm-up drills, and the kids’ laughter in this sun-drenched summer camp book. Yet this book tackles so many issues like wealth, privilege, class, grief, friendship, and jealousy in friendship. The mystery element as we slowly peel back the layers behind Jules and Eowyn’s friendship with WICKED as a parallel event in their lives is just gorgeously done. There’s also plenty going on in the side characters’ lives that they all come to life brilliantly.
Star Rating
Content Notes
Here are some specifics to know about the content.
Content Warnings
- Death: None on the page. Eowyn’s mom died years ago.
- Alcohol/substance abuse: None
- Sexual content: Two tweens hold hands.
- Violence: None
- Religious content: None
- Language: None
Diversity
- Ethnic: Main characters cued white.
- Sexual orientation: None.
Recommended for ages: 10+
Good for kids who like:
- Wicked: The Musical
- Friendship stories
- Books by Claire Swinarski
- Stories with multiple narrators
- Stories set in the summer or at summer camp
Publisher Details
| Publisher details | Quill Tree Books |
| Author: | Claire Swinarski |
| Illustrator: | N/A |
| Publication date: | November 19, 2024 |
| Audiobook? | Yes, Libro.Fm |
| Page count: | 256 |
| Cover artists | Designer: | Anna Hard | Molly Fehr |
Buy This Book
More Book Reviews
- What Happens Next by Claire Swinarski
- The Kate in Between by Claire Swinarski
- What Happened to Rachel Riley? by Claire Swinarski
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