Drum Roll, Please

February 1, 2018

Gr 5-8-The day before 13-year-old drummer Melly heads to Camp Rockaway, her parents drop a bombshell: They're getting divorced. Suddenly, the next two weeks become about more than just hanging out with her best friend Olivia, swimming in the lake, and playing the drums. In this sweet and sincere summer story, Melly confronts a whirlwind of feelings as she observes Olivia's newfound intense interest in boys, learns to play in a band with strangers, and develops her first crush on a girl: her bandmate, Adeline. Camp Rockaway, with its endless music-related puns and earnest belief in music's transformative power, provides the perfect setting for Melly to navigate these major life events. Bigelow captures the emotional intensity of camp, where each day stretches long, and relationships can come together and fall apart in seconds. It is Melly's first-person narration that truly drives the story, always honest and self-reflective, even as she makes mistakes and struggles to understand and express her own feelings. Both fun and substantial, readable and empowering, this novel is a master class in balancing real issues with a light-hearted tone. Bigelow's compassionate take on the classic middle school topics of family, friendship, and first romance hits all the right notes. VERDICT Highly recommended; a perfect summer read for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Jennifer Holm.-Molly Saunders, Homewood Public Library, AL

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2018
A shy, quiet drummer looks for her inner Rebel Girl at rock camp.The day before 13-year-old Melissa "Melly" Goodwin departs for Camp Rockaway, her parents make a heartbreaking announcement: They're splitting up. At least Melly doesn't have to deal alone; her best friend, Olivia Mendoza, a bassist, will be with her. But when Olivia deserts Melly for her crush (a boy named Noel), Melly has to go it alone. She finds herself confiding in someone who isn't her best friend. Could carefree guitarist Adeline become more than just a new pal? She certainly makes Melly feel like her heart is full of buzzing bees. When Noel dumps Olivia, she turns back to Melly, but jealousy drives a wedge between the besties. Can Melly make room for both her best friend and a potential girlfriend? Can she step out from behind her drum kit and find the strength she needs to face the music at home? Narrator Melly is a complex blend of anger, curiosity, and creativity, appealingly laying her emotions bare for readers. Puns such as "Joan Jetty" (the boathouse) and "B-flat" (the afternoon rest period) bring character to the camp setting, which is also naturally diverse; Melly is white, Olivia is implied Latina, and Adeline is not the only brown-skinned camper. Fresh and exhilarating, a welcome addition to the growing middle-grade genre of girls who like girls. (Fiction. 8-14)

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Starred review from April 16, 2018
Middle schooler Melly has always followed the lead of her best friend, Olivia. Olivia insisted that they join band in the fifth grade, and three years later, Olivia decides that they should go to rock-and-roll camp. Luckily, Melly loves playing music (“It felt like the drums were pumping energy into me,” she says), but the timing for camp couldn’t be worse. The day before she leaves, she learns that her parents are divorcing. Carrying a bundle of anger and confusion along with her drumsticks, Melly arrives at Camp Rockaway unprepared for the challenges she will face, including an intimidating audition and working with unlike-minded musicians. In a story about growing pains, turning points, and self-discovery, Bigelow (Starting from Here) shows an equally clear understanding of the dynamics of camp life and young adolescent emotions. Melly’s responses to situations are authentic, especially the excitement and confusion she feels when she is attracted to another female camper. Bigelow has a graceful and genuine touch as her protagonist processes new experiences and navigates changes in friendships and family. Ages 8–12. Agent: Steven Chudney, Chudney Agency.

March 1, 2018
Grades 4-7 Melly is super-duper shy and introverted, but a trip to camp during a difficult summer helps her find her stride. Melly's summer begins with her parents informing her they are getting a divorce, just before sending her off with her drumsticks to a musical camp in the middle of the woods. To top it off, when she gets there, she's split up from her best friend, and she's somewhat alarmed to realize that she's . . . actually OK. Bigelow captures that distinctive middle-grade experience of feeling like changes at home or in friendship are earth-shattering, and the music focus?particularly Melly's rock-star aspirations?are especially endearing. Melly is a memorable, relatable character, and Bigelow tells her funny, heartfelt story with a lively blend of emotional moments and more musical puns than you can shake a (drum)stick at. Readers looking for an entertaining camp story, as well as fans of Victoria Jamieson's Roller Girl (2015) or the long-running Lumberjanes series, will get a kick out of this empowering book.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)