The Casting Dilemma by Lynne Stringer

Title: The Casting Dilemma

Author: Lynne Stringer

Genre: Fiction

Publisher: Wombat Rhiza

Published: 1^st May 2026

Format: Paperback

Pages: 128

Price: $14.99

Synopsis: Kate wants to be an actor, but when she looks in the mirror, she doesn’t like what she sees.

How she longs to be like Ashleigh Monahan, a girl in her grade, who has the perfect looks for the lead role in the musical, Last Chance for Millie. Not only that, but Ashleigh also has all the talent required to play the part.

Kate is sure that the teachers don’t believe in her. And while her parents and friends support her, is it enough to make her believe in herself? Or will she decide not to even try?

~*~

Kate longs to be an actor, and she’s keen to take part in the school play. This year, they’re getting to perform a play written by a year twelve student Jane Hammond. Kate has the talent, the skills and the scope, but she doesn’t feel like she has the looks.

She wants to look like Ashleigh Monahan, the girl who, according to everyone else, is perfect for any acting role. Perfect for the main character in the play, and just perfect. She’s so perfect, it’s expected and assumed she will get the best parts all the time.

Kate feels like nobody believes in her during the auditions, despite the support she gets from her parents and friends. Should she keep trying? And what do her teachers have in store?

The Casting Dilemma is the latest in the Rhiza Shorts teen fiction. They’re shorter YA stories but that have the same impact, and age-appropriate stories that teens will enjoy. This one is about being yourself, finding the joy in things you love and finding that the people you never really thought you’d be friends with could become someone you can help or rely on, from both sides of the story.

Kate’s not the perfectly perky, slim, goodlooking teen that people are used to seeing in teen films and movies. Even the characters that get the glam-up or makeover are often beautiful – just not by the standards of the people around them. Like Mia in the Princess Diaries, or Andie in The Devil Wears Prada and so many more, these young women have had their appearances changed when they probably didn’t need to. Kate doesn’t do this, even though she feels like she needs to.

And the prevalence of the beauty stereotype is littered throughout this book. It forms a big aspect of the book, focusing on what people think beauty is, what they think actors need to look like and how important appearance is. Think about how much value we can place on appearance over skill at times, and how this can affect how people are included.

That’s what this story is doing, highlighting that society values looks over knowledge and skills at times, when we need to look at the whole package. Because the skills people have will show what they can do more than their physical appearance.

It’s an insightful book, and one that teens can relate to, and see that everyone, even the beautiful people, can have insecurities about themselves and what they are capable of. This books captures it all, and gives readers an insight into how we all have different talents and that they are all valuable. Another intriguing read from Wombat Books.