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The name Topaz refers to a series of children’s books written by Helen Bailey. The books follow the efforts of a young lady who is determined to become a star.
Order of Topaz Series
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Topaz in the Limelight (Short Story) | 2005 | Description / Buy | |
| 2 | Topaz Takes a Chance (Short Story) | 2005 | Description / Buy | |
| 3 | Topaz Steals the Show (Short Story) | 2007 | Description / Buy | |
| 4 | Topaz Takes a Break (Short Story) | 2007 | Description / Buy | |
| 5 | Topaz Takes the Stage (Short Story) | 2008 | Description / Buy | |
| 6 | Topaz on Ice (Short Story) | 2008 | Description / Buy |
Helen Bailey, who was born in 1964 in England (Ponteland, Northumberland to be specific), made her name by writing stories aimed towards children and young adults such as the Electric Brown series.
Boasting a degree in Physiology, Helen initially intended to become a forensic scientist. However, circumstances drew her into the media field. She was privileged to work on marketing campaigns that involved properties such as the Rugrats.
The experience drove her to experiment with her own stories which featured angst-ridden teens fighting to overcome the challenges of growing up in the modern world.
For all Helen Bailey’s literary efforts and achievements, she only ever elicited worldwide interest when she disappeared in 2016. After losing her husband of 22 years in 2011 to an accidental drowning, the author’s new relationship with partner Ian Stewart ended in disaster when Helen’s corpse was found hidden in her home and he was arrested for her murder.
Helen Bailey will be remembered for works like the Topaz series which features simple, straightforward but generally engaging stories.
Topaz L’Amour is introduced to readers in Topaz in the Limelight, the first novel in the series. Published 2007, the book pitted Topaz against her rival Octavia Quaver in a fight to snag the best role in a production.
Topaz in the Limelight marked Octavia and Topaz’s first contention in the series but it wouldn’t be the last. The Topaz series basically explores the journey of a young lady with dreams and ambitions of becoming a star.
Topaz was born to rule the artistic stage. She can sing, she can dance and if the need calls for it, she will skate. The Topaz books follow Topaz L’Amour as she slowly but surely realizes that the journey to stardom is saturated with conflicts, challenges, and obstacles.
First, she has to face off against people like Octavia Quaver who is not only as ambitious as Topaz, but she is willing to lie, cheat and scheme to get her way. Topaz won’t take Octavia’s attacks lying down but there are lines that she is unwilling to cross to get what she wants. To succeed, the young lady must learn to rely on her friends.
But if Octavia isn’t enough, there are also Topaz’s teachers and trainers at places like the Precious Gems Stage School, an institution chockfull of talented girls like Topaz that are all fighting tooth and nail to snag the limited positions available.
Topaz has to come to terms with the fact that she doesn’t know it all, and if she wants to succeed, she needs to adapt to the situation and add some new skills to her resume.
The Topaz novels are written with children in mind. As such, there is no coarse language or scandalous storylines. Topaz and her friends are just fighting for the chance to do what they love.
Best Topaz Books
The Topaz novels are not necessarily Helen Bailey’s most popular works but they have their fans, with some of the best books in the series including:
Topaz in the Limelight: Topaz’s life takes a disturbing turn when a fortune teller at a festival tells her that she will never succeed as a star. Topaz doesn’t want to believe her. And she doesn’t have the time to get distracted, not when she is fighting with her rival, Octavia Quaver, to get a juicy part in a film.
When Topaz seemingly loses to Octavia, relegated to the role of a dead body, the fortune teller’s words come back to her. Things take a strange turn when Octavia’s mother is forced off the film set and her daughter says words that mirror those of the fortune teller.
Topaz Steals the Show: Topaz has enrolled at Precious Gems Stage School, one of the lucky few to land a position. But her excitement is tempered when she realizes just how inexperienced she is. This is as her rival, Octavia Quaver from Rhapsody’s Theater Academy, returns to knock Topaz out of the spotlight.
Other Book Series You May Like
Check out the “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” Series by Alvin Schwartz. The author of this series was inspired by myths, legends, and fairy tales to write books which feature stories designed to frighten children without scarring them. The books have colorful illustrations.
You may also enjoy the “Bad kitty” Series by Nick Bruel. These books tell the story of Kitty, a house cat that keeps unleashing havoc upon his owner’s home.
What Is The Next Book in The Topaz Series?
There doesn't seem to be an upcoming book in The Topaz Series. The newest book is Topaz on Ice and was released on May, 2nd 2008.