For every boy and girl who has ever been en-

chanted by the theater or dreamed of being a

professional actor, here is the story of a real child

who is fulfilling that dream.

The child is ten-year-old Lauren Gaffney. She

is at'ready a scasone~ performer wfien we watcfi

her audition for-and win-the role of Annie in

a workshop production of Annie 2.

Through Jill Krementz's superb pictures and

text we share Lauren's experience of the real

world of theater-her suspense as she tries out

for the part, and the excitement and hard work

that follow. We're with her as she becomes a

member of the Annie 2 familya when she re-

hearses, when she studies her lines, when she

has her hair dyed Annie-red, when she makes

friends with her fellow actors-including Chel-

sea, the dog that will play the role of Annie's

beloved mutt, Sandy.

And then, at last, we share the anxiety and the

thrill of opening night, when everything comes

together and we see what Lauren's special com-

bination of talent, charm, and determination

has achieved; we see what this very young

actress has created: an imaginary little girl whom

audiences will believe in and love and always

remember as Annie.