Life Is Like a Musical

August 14, 2017
Federle (Tequila Mockingbird) draws on his experience as a Broadway dancer in this delightful handbook of “hard-won showbiz lessons” that can be applied to all aspects of life and contribute to helping readers build more successful futures. Presenting advice “borrowed from Broadway” in a series of 50 witty vignettes, Federle aims to inspire readers to make any changes they may be seeking, whether these changes are in service to getting a better job, a healthier relationship, or simply a greater sense of satisfaction. Each chapter references a situation Federle encountered in the theater—with titles such as “Value Courage Over Confidence,” “Be a Good Scene Partner,” and “Rehearse Under Emergency Conditions”—and relates these situations to everyday experiences. His advice includes “envision a destination for yourself” and “start doing things that feel significant and meaningful to you.” The result is an intuitive guide that puts life into perspective in humorous and entertaining fashion. Agent: Brenda Bowen, Greenburger Associates.

March 1, 2018

Award-winning author and Broadway expert Federle offers 50 hilarious self-help tips for drama geeks and beyond. In Federle's own words, his book is "Don't Sweat the Small Stuffwith jazz hands." He stresses how his cheerful personality has helped him secure many gigs-after all, no one wants to collaborate with a grumpy or arrogant coworker. Federle shares various coming-of-age and theater experiences, from dancing in a polar bear costume at Radio City Music Hall to cowriting the Broadway musical Tuck Everlasting. Featuring star-studded theater references, this is an uplifting yet realistic look at living life to the fullest. There's even a section noting how students voted most popular in middle school tend to plateau early in life. VERDICT Perfect for theater-focused teens, especially those who grew up on Federle's Better Nate Than Ever and loved his young adult novel, The Great American Whatever.-Sarah Hill, Lake Land College Library, Mattoon, IL

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2017
With tongue-in-cheek cocktail books, a middle-grade series, an acclaimed YA novel, and a Broadway show to his name, Federle has proven himself to be a veritable chameleon of a writer. Now he offers up a self-help guide by way of Broadway. In 50 bite-sized chapters, he doles out life lessons and little wisdoms gleaned from his years in the theater, sparkling with the trademark cheeky wit so evident in his Twitter account. A dancer-turned-writer, he has plenty of material, all of it theater-inspired. There aren't any sections here, but most of the advice can be applied to a number of situations. Forget your Resume. Polish Your Reputation addresses how attitude and comportment are often more valuable than experience. Clap Loudest for the Understudies stresses the importance of recognizing the underappreciated, who are often the hardest workers, and Forgive Yourself for a Bad Performance reminds us to keep going after a mistake. Theater lovers will enjoy the peek behind the curtain of the industry, but this is valuable advice for all.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)