By John Molene

Teenage music, TV and film star Emma Roberts didn’t disappoint her legions of young fans during a June 6 hour-long visit to Eden Prairie Center, smiling and signing every book, picture and poster thrust before her.

Roberts was in town to promote her upcoming film “Nancy Drew” and supposedly showcase a program with Cotton Inc. entitled “Nancy Drew and the Cotton Caper.”

Any possible cotton capers were reduced to lint, however, by the dozens of fans, a majority of which were pre-teen girls who were eager only to get Roberts’ signature on something. Many were accompanied by their mothers, including several died-in-the-wool Nancy Drew aficionados.

Friends Jenna Althaus, 7, of Chanhassen, Alison Lithgow, 9, of Minneapolis, and Victoria Wagener, of Cologne, were first in line to meet Roberts. The trio arrived at the mall about two hours before Roberts was due to arrive in order to secure the prime spot in line.

“I wanted to meet Emma Roberts and want her to sign my book,” said Jenna, when asked why she was at the autograph session. “She is pretty.”

Tracy Heitner, of Eden Prairie, said she pulled her daughter Jayne, 8, and friend Madeline Beard, out of school a little early so they could have a chance to see Roberts.

“I picked them up and surprised them,” Heitner said. “They love Emma Roberts. They love “Aquamarine,” they must have watched it 100 times. They’ve bought the (Nancy Drew) books and they’ve watched ‘Unfabulous.’”

For Alison Lithgow, it was her second meeting of Roberts in a single day. She had earlier attended a similar autograph session with the teen sensation at a Minneapolis bookstore.

“I’m still thinking what I want to ask her,” she said while waiting in a lengthening line that snaked around the central court and down one of the mall aisles.

Most fans didn’t get a chance to ask Roberts anything, however. Most of the younger fans gained a signed poster or book and a smile, but little chance to converse with the star.

Some of the older Nancy Drew fans, by contrast, often had a chance to exchange at least brief pleasantries with Roberts.

Roberts was a trouper throughout, smiling for countless photos and signing away a large stack of Nancy Drew posters.

“It’s really cute to see them (the young fans) get so excited,” said the 16-year-old Roberts, daughter of actor Eric Roberts and niece of Academy Award-winning actress Julia Roberts.

Following the autograph session, the 5-foot-2-inch Roberts gave brief interviews to several reporters, taking time off from home school course work to meet with the press.

“It feels really good,” she said, when asked her feelings about attending the autograph sessions. “It feels real flattering to know they want to meet you. It’s really fun to meet with the kids in different cities all the time.”

Despite her famous relatives, Roberts has accumulated most of her fame with young fans by appearances as the lead character Addie Singer in the Nickelodeon series “Unfabulous,” in the movie “Aquamarine,” and as a pop singer.

Acting and appearing in movies is her first priority, said Roberts, who made her debut at the age of 9 in the 2001 film “Blow.” She has since appeared in seven other films.

“What I really like is when I can work with a young cast all my age,” she said.

She is optimistic that the new “Nancy Drew” movie will appeal both to her younger fans, and the devotees of the venerable detective series.

She admittedly, however, is feeling some pressure in playing a character so many people have identified with for so long.

“Definitely,” she said. “But I hope the movie will show the real character of Nancy Drew.”

Her favorite scenes in the upcoming movie were “the scary ones,” Roberts added.

The “Nancy Drew” movie came out Friday.