On the come up

the long version

"Willful, outspoken, and precariously naive, thirteen-year-old AnnMarie Walker dreams of a world beyond Far Rockaway, where the sway of the neighborhood keeps her tied to old ideas about success. Then one day, while attending a high school for pregnant girls, she comes across a flyer advertising movie auditions in Manhattan for an independent film. Astonishingly, improbably, and four months before she's due to give birth--she lands a lead role. For a time, AnnMarie soars, acting for the camera, flying to the Sundance Film Festival, seeing her face on screen. But when the movie closes and the realities of her life set in, AnnMarie's grit and determination are the only tools left to keep her moving forward. Told with humor, zest, and remarkable compassion, On The Come Up is an addictive read about heroism in the face of adversity. It is based on a true story"--