Diary of a Stage Mother's Daughter by Mellisa Francis

Melissa Francis was a child actress working steadily in commercials and TV, even scoring a part in the final two seasons of Little House on the Prairie. Her first job was a shampoo commercial at less than a year old that her older sister booked, and she was added to later. By five she was used to working with adults and by the time she was ready to go to college, she was ready to escape the crazy world her mother created for the family.

Following in the footsteps of Gypsy Rose Lee, Melissa Francis tells out to tell her story of growing up with a mother intent on making her daughters stars at any cost. Success in the public was much more important than family bonds or making a good home. While Melissa's star rose, her sister Tiffany started to fade into the back ground. Their mother's moods were dependant on whether they were working or not, and as acting jobs became harder to get family life became more unbearable.

In a world where we see child stars like Lindsay Lohan crumble as adult, Melissa Francis comes across as strong and lucky to escape life that takes many child actors. Diary of a Stage Mother's Daughter is a "True Hollywood Story" book that will keep you turning the pages to see what will happen next. Readers interested in the behind the scenes aspects of acting, will enjoy this title.

Diary of a Stage Mother's Daughter will be published November 13th, 2012. This review is based on an Advanced Reader Copy of the book sent to the library from the publisher.