A perky and mostly fun story.
Eighth grader Scout is desperate to meet her favorite author, who will be appearing at a festival in another town.
The only way she can think of to get there is to join the school band, which will be performing at the festival. Trouble is, Scout doesn’t play an instrument. So she lies and says she plays the trombone. The other trombone player, Merrin, a serious music student who has a lot at stake from the band’s success, is excited to welcome her, but when she discovers that Scout can’t play, she is actually upset. Thinking Scout is just rusty, their teacher assigns Merrin to tutor Scout, telling the girls they will both be kicked out if they don’t get along better. Scout, meanwhile, shows little inclination to practice. Eventually, the two find common ground—a not unexpected development, but the twists and turns of the plot while getting there contain many lively and amusing moments. As a character, Scout is so flawed it’s intriguing: Her self-centered behavior and lack of conscience about lying and using band participation to get what she wants are presented not as a growth opportunity but simply not a big deal, which makes her eventual success feel unearned, creating a less-than-impactful ending. Scout and Merrin present as White, and the book refreshingly portrays a school inhabited by kids and teachers diverse in ethnicity and gender identity and expression who accept one another.
A perky and mostly fun story. (character sketches, author’s note) (Graphic fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: April 5, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-17623-8
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Random House Graphic
Review Posted Online: Jan. 10, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2022
A lighthearted read that effectively combines reality television drama with a page-turning mystery.
Best friends combine their baking and sleuthing strengths to try to solve a baking competition mystery.
Middle school students Laila and Lucy are inseparable, but thanks to the school district lines, they’ll be attending different high schools unless they can achieve their dream of getting scholarships to exclusive Sunderland Prep. Ever since her father’s death, Laila and her mother have been struggling to make ends meet, and Lucy’s parents can’t afford the tuition, either. Aspiring “cookie tycoon” Laila enters the Golden Cookie baking contest—the winner gets a full ride to Sunderland—while Lucy, “journalist extraordinaire in training,” is hoping her article about the competition will win her Sunderland’s journalism scholarship. Laila is competing against kids from wealthier backgrounds, as the show’s coordinator points out at the start, shaking Laila’s confidence slightly. But the tension among the contestants quickly escalates and accusations start flying once a celebrity chef judge collapses after eating one of Laila’s cookies. A storm that isolates the competitors rachets up the tension even more. The girls’ journal entries are interspersed between chapters told from their alternating perspectives, providing texture to the story. Readers will resonate with the relationship dynamics between the two friends, who seem to see the best in each other despite various points of interpersonal tension throughout the story. Laila is Black; Lucy has black hair, brown skin, and the surname Flores.
A lighthearted read that effectively combines reality television drama with a page-turning mystery. (Mystery. 10-14)Pub Date: June 11, 2024
ISBN: 9780063254589
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: March 23, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2024
PERSPECTIVES
A crucial, necessary reminder: Sports should be fun!
This basketball saga critically redefines “love of the game.”
In Walthorne, middle school sports revolve around the storied rivalry between the Walthorne North Middle School Cougars and the Walthorne South Middle School Panthers. North is captained by point guard Austin Chambers, whose well-off parents provide him with everything he needs to succeed—in part because his father is a Penn State basketball legend. Things aren’t so rosy for Carter Haswell, captain of South. As far as his parents are concerned, basketball is his job, as an athletic scholarship could relieve financial strife. What could be a tale of haves and have-nots swerves, instead examining the pernicious effects poor judgment, vicarious living, and outright self-interest can have on the physical and mental well-beings of student athletes. Peer relationships cause problems: Austin pressures wounded teammate Clay to play a high-stakes game, exacerbating his injury. Best intentions go awry: Alfie Jenks, a die-hard hoops fan and aspiring journalist, learns the importance of oversight, diligence, and context as her reporting sparks scandals. Egocentricity reigns: Carter’s coach encourages him to cheat in class, leading to the player’s suspension and the coach’s resignation. When misconduct brings their season screeching to a halt, North and South settle their differences without adult interference. Most characters are White; racism and socio-economic status come in for critical evaluation.
A crucial, necessary reminder: Sports should be fun! (author’s note, reading list) (Sports fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: March 23, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-4197-4827-1
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
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