GONE VIRAL

Two seventh grade boys from Visalia, California, become overnight rock stars and tour the world.

Until now, longtime childhood pals Sean and Jason have led fairly average lives filled with football games and boring chores. One day, inspired by a decades-old video clip of classical pianist John Cage’s entirely silent composition, 4' 33", Jason suggests the duo launch their own rock band, Gormax—being silent would be helpful since they can’t actually play any instruments. Soon Metallic Z (Jason) and Half-Lo (Sean) are off, living an extended youthful daydream with minimal adult supervision or involvement. The 12-year-olds perform across Europe and even Japan, Tahiti, and Argentina. The agent calling all the professional shots for Gormax is Chase, a business-savvy sixth grader they’ve nicknamed “White Socks.” White Socks decides Gormax needs some help on tour. He adds eighth grader Samantha (“Skylark”) and a chatty, multilingual cockatiel named Zep to the band. The quartet’s fame skyrockets. Action and humor are packed into every page. The band’s zany adventures take them everywhere from a zoo (where the chimps are refusing to eat their bananas until they get to meet Gormax) to a hot-air balloon ride. The bandmates relish their newfound riches and work through creative differences, jealousy, and heartbreak. But when fame and fortune threaten to run out, the boys must fall back on their friendship to help figure out their future. Smith’s lively, entertaining illustrations complement the story, showcasing the racially diverse cast.

An imaginative, madcap escape.