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Publication Date: March 10, 2009 Publisher: Disney Press Author: · Lara Bergen (Adapter) Related Sites: · Official Site - Hannah Montana · Official Site - Miley Cyrus Grade: B+

The Inside Scoop is one of many adaptations of "Hannah Montana: The Movie." starring Miley Cyrus. Featuring thirteen lines of large-font text per page, along with many full-page images from the film, this quick read is aimed at "newly independent readers" under the banner Disney Early Readers. Oodles of book tie-ins tell the same story for different reading levels. For older readers, there is The Junior Novel, and for younger readers there are a pair of 8" x 8" 24-page books titled Country Girl and Secret Crush. 

Oswald Granger is the focus of The Inside Scoop. His role in the film as the persistent reporter trying to find out the identity of pop star Hannah Montana forms the shell of this re-telling of the plot. Anything not related to his involvement is virtually ignored.

It begins with the potentially creepy scenario of a grown man sneaking into a teen girl's dressing room, ostensibly to get a picture of the singing marvel for his two daughters.  But Hannah's publicist Vita knows who Oswald really is, and shoos him from the premises, but not before he is able to strategically place a video camera.

Going back for it later, he discovers that the view got blocked, but knows there is a story hidden along with the teenager's real identity. He follows Hannah to a sweet sixteen birthday party for Miley's best friend Lilly, where her arrival commandeers the celebration. Dejected, the vulnerable Lilly lets spill to Oswald the name of Hannah's (and Miley's) hometown, and the reporter is off to Tennessee for further investigation.

Miley and her family are also off to Crowley Corners for her grandma Ruby's birthday.  Miley observes Oswald sneaking around town and smells trouble. When he asks her if she has seen Hannah Montana, Miley gives him directions to a backwoods cabin. That gets the steadfast sleuth out of the way, and allows Miley to focus on another problem.

A developer wants to build a huge shopping mall and Ruby is organizing a fund-raising concert to keep him at bay.  It is an enjoyable event until the developer shows up to tell all that they will never raise enough money to stop his efforts. "Hey!" someone shouted. "Miley knows Hannah Montana! She could help us!"

Miley's enjoyment at the farmer's market is short-lived when Oswald approaches her with a picture of Hannah Montana, asking: "Do you know this girl?"

And so, Lilly shows up disguised as Hannah, and Crowley Corners' "concert of the century" is on! Oswald stakes out the tour bus, but Vita sends him on a wild goose chase after every blonde head in the crowd. This proves daunting, since Miley's brother Jackson is selling Hannah Montana wigs!

Hannah stops singing in the middle of a song and pulls off her own wig to reveal that she's just little ol' Miley.  She can't pretend to be someone she's not in front of all the folks she grew up with. The crowd urges her to continue being Hannah, except for one reporter who is hastily snapping off pictures.  Oswald has his story!

As he threatens to send the photos off to his tabloid magazine employer, his daughters arrive on the scene to see their favorite singer.  They really were two of Hannah Montana's biggest fans, and Oswald must decide whether or not he is willing to destroy their dreams by following through on his inside scoop.

It's an interesting way to recount the story, by following it through from only one character's perspective.  Whole chunks of the plot are passed over.  There is nary a mention of father Robby or childhood acquaintance Travis. For once, a subplot is the star of the show.

The story is adapted by Lara Bergen, who also wrote Going Home, a similar format adaptation that brings out the pop superstar's return to her roots as the center of the story.  She is also the author of Disney Princess: More 5-Minute Princess Stories as well as other franchises such as Jimmy Neutron (My Book of Inventions) and Go, Diego, Go! (Diego's Springtime Fiesta).

32 pages