Three children are forced to live with their grandmother during the war while their father is away in the Navy. They are sent to the Children's Academy for Dancing and Stage Training. Their grandmother and grandfather and all their aunts and uncles and cousins are actors and actresses, so their grandmother expects them to inherit this family talent. Sorrel, the eldest girl, is given a scholarship for dramatic acting, but she doesn't know if she really deserves it, or is it just her family fame that makes everyone expect great things from her. Mark, the only boy in the family, has a good singing voice, but he wants to be in the Navy like his father when he grows up. He hates the Academy, and wishes he could go to a proper boarding school. The youngest girl, Holly, is happy with her dancing classes, but she feels out of place because they are poor. All the other children have nicer clothes and fancy cases for their tap shoes. But these three siblings will have to find their own place in the theater despite their difficulties.

I love the characters in this book! They are all so imaginative and they have really cute games of pretend. Mark is especially imaginative, and if you can get him imagining something fun, then he enjoys even dance class. Sorrel feels like she is responsible for everyone, like a typical eldest child, and especially because there is a war on, she works really hard to protect her siblings.

The writing has such a sweet charm! The story is interesting and funny. I love this series of books!