Beagles and Books is excited to be part of the blog tour for I Used to Be Famous written by Tara Luebbe and Becky Cattie and illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff. Special thanks to Albert Whitman and Company and Barbara Fisch of Blue Slip Media for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Publisher’s Summary: Kiely’s been famous her entire life, but when a baby sister appears on the scene, she feels like a has-been. Now Kiely has to figure out how to gain back the attention of her adoring fans (her family), even if it means sharing the spotlight.
PRAISE FOR I USED TO BE FAMOUS!
“This clever exploration of the mixed emotions of welcoming a new baby into a family is sure to elicit more than a few laughs from the divas accustomed to having all the attention.” —Kirkus Reviews
Review:
Capturing our attention and hearts in I Am Famous, Kiely returns in I Used to Be Famous. While Kiely still enjoys star treatment such as a personal shopper, it seems that her fan club is not following her as closely as in the past. Who is the new fresh face getting all the publicity?
To Kiely’s dismay, her baby sister is now center stage which is ridiculous because little Abby is not multi-talented like her. Will Kiely allow herself to be upstaged or will she learn to share the spotlight?
Kiely’s voice is pitch perfect. With humor and honesty, authors Luebbe and Cattie aptly capture the range of emotions a child may feel with the addition of a sibling. At first, Kiely is critical of her sister identifying all the things Abby cannot do. Then Kiely begins to judge herself wondering if she needs to change. It is not until Kiely stops trying to compete with her sister that she realizes there is room for two stars in the household. In fact, it appears that being a duo is just what the paparazzi wants!
Illustrator Lew-Vriethoff’s bright and bold illustrations perfectly complement the text showing the changes in Kiely’s feelings as she gradually learns that being a big sister also has its perks because her little sister will always be her biggest fan.
Pre-order now, for I Used to Be Famous releases soon on April 1, 2019. In the meantime, view the star studded book trailer below!
About the Authors:
Becky Cattie has always had a flair for the dramatic and loves all things entertainment—especially character-driven narratives. She was a casting producer for reality TV shows like NBC’s America’s Got Talent, ABC’s Extreme Makeover, and E!’s The Simple Life in Los Angeles. She lives in Chicago. Tara Luebbe is a self-described “Picture Book Nerd.” In her previous life, she owned a toy and book store in Atlanta, which was a catalyst for writing her own books. This is the third picture book collaboration for sisters Tara and Becky; their first two books, I Am Famous and Shark Nate-O, were published in 2018. To learn more, visit http://beckytarabooks.com/ or find them on social media.
Facebook: BeckyTara Books
Twitter: @t_luebbe and @b_cattie
Instagram: @taraluebbe and @beckycattie
About the Illustrator:
Joanne Lew-Vriethoff is an award-winning illustrator who was born in Malaysia, grew up in Los Angeles, worked in New York, and now lives in Amsterdam. Besides making art, she loves exploring the world with her family and road trips with her husband and kids, photographing street art, cycling along the Amsterdam canals at midnight, snorkeling, day dreaming, collecting picture books. Visit her website at
I am an elementary reading specialist in Baltimore County. My goal is to build a community of readers at my school with both teachers and students.
I am also privileged to be a member of #bookexcursion, a group of 12 educators from all across the country who read, share, review, and promote new #kidlit releases.
Beagles and Books was created because in addition to books, I love my sweet beagles. Etta, a rescue from North Carolina joined our family in July 2010 and crossed the Rainbow Bridge in February 2020. Bella, a rescue from South Carolina became part of the family in October 2017.
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Beagles & Books 
1 thought on “Blog Tour & Giveaway for I USED TO BE FAMOUS by Tara Luebbe & Becky Cattie”