A reasonably amusing gift for band students but not one they’ll want to revisit.
A book of rhyming poetry for concert and marching band nerds.
This illustrated collection presents a lighthearted love of all things band—from jokes about different instruments (arrogant trumpet players come up several times and there’s a saxophonist who has four extra fingers) to silly rhymes. An introduction titled “Stereotypes” explains how stereotypes can be harmful and concludes that “we can choose to let them shape us, or we can choose to write a silly poem book about them and laugh it off.” However, this push back against stereotypes, such as that band nerds are awkward and undatable, would all play better if so many poems didn’t fall flat. Additionally, unkind comments about people’s appearances (including pictures that caricature someone with an overbite and a woman whose too-tight top pops open) and the reliance on gender norms (the band director is always depicted as a man) strike a wrong note. A longer poem about a group of boys and their male band director on a trip who spy on strangers being intimate in a hot tub—“we all remember ‘hot tub’ night / As the night we all grew up”—feels out of place for the mostly child-friendly tone of the collection. The black-and-white line illustrations add context and additional humor to the poems. Most characters appear White, but there is some ethnic diversity throughout.
A reasonably amusing gift for band students but not one they’ll want to revisit. (Poetry. 13-18)Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-72821-982-0
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Sourcebooks eXplore
Review Posted Online: Aug. 13, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2020
A compelling romance inhabited by complex and appealing characters.
When star hockey player Alec Barczewski’s estranged childhood friend, Dani Collins, moves to town, they end up in a mutually beneficial fake-dating relationship that reignites old feelings.
Following her parents’ divorce, Dani and her mom move in with Dani’s hockey legend grandfather in Southview, Minnesota, where she spent a month every summer as a child and where her friendship with Alec grew. Between visits, the two were pen pals, but they eventually fell out of touch. Despite some tensions over their loss of friendship, the high school seniors reconnect. Desperate to get off Harvard’s waitlist, Dani needs another extracurricular activity, while Alec—whose reputation took a hit when a photo of him holding a bong appeared on social media—is eager to improve his tarnished image for NHL scouts. The pair strike a deal: They’ll fake date, making Alec look like a stable guy whose academically gifted girlfriend is related to hockey royalty, and in exchange, he’ll get Dani a team manager position that will catch the eye of Harvard’s admissions officers. Eventually, complicated feelings about their past, stressful family relationships, and their brewing romance boil over. Romance fans will love the deliciously tension-filled scenes between Alec and Dani, who are believable friends with heavy demands weighing on them. They feel like real teenagers, and readers will enjoy rooting for them as the well-paced story unfolds. Main characters present white.
A compelling romance inhabited by complex and appealing characters. (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 30, 2025
ISBN: 9781665921268
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2025
A heartfelt romance that shows how letting go of the past can bring you an even brighter future.
Two high school rivals learn there’s more to each other than meets the eye.
With her college dreams hinging on the success of her jewelry business, Harper is desperate to be awarded a Young Entrepreneurs Grant and frustrated that everyone at her school privileges the athletes. Hockey team member Dawson hopes to be recruited by college scouts; he’s also battling pressure from his dad, a former hockey star. Though Harper and Dawson find each other annoying, they often cross paths since Harper works at Dawson’s family’s diner. When Dawson’s coach is fired for misuse of funds, one of the hockey players starts a rumor that Harper is involved. But over time, the dynamic between Dawson and Harper begins to change as they reevaluate themselves and each other. Despite the slow start, this charming enemies-to-lovers narrative succeeds thanks to the well-paced progression of the leads’ relationship. Their alternating first-person points of view allow the complexities of their inner feelings to show through. The characters’ interactions feel intentional, and the emphasis on connection and friendship extends beyond romance, for example, through the supportive, open communication between Dawson and his friends Alex and Ryan. Charlotte’s debut successfully combines sports, friendship, and the emotional highs and lows of high school love. Main characters are cued white.
A heartfelt romance that shows how letting go of the past can bring you an even brighter future. (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 18, 2025
ISBN: 9781665971423
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 29, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2025
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