Pepperland

November 1, 2004
Gr 8 Up-Delaney's sensitive style and his development of realistic, multidimensional lead characters combine to create an absorbing story set in the early '80s. Star, 16, struggles to adjust to the death of her mother, who had loved '60s music and the Beatles in particular. Star, a guitarist, loves it as well. Her therapist suggests that she write a song about her mother, and throughout the book she tries to do so. When she finds her mother's guitar and a letter she wrote to John Lennon, they become the catalyst for Star to work through her anger and grief. She and her stepfather have a warm relationship, and they work together to deal with their mutual loss. While her friendship with Dooley, a talented artist, has been platonic, the relationship seems to be changing. When he is harassed at school and dubbed gay, she defends and supports him. Though the introduction of this plot twist is a bit jarring, it highlights the teen's loyalty and maturity. The homophobic bullies are stereotypical, and the woman who repairs her mother's guitar is conveniently generous, understanding, and nurturing, but this helps to move the plot along. The author shows how a love of art can help one cope with difficulties as he deftly balances the dual themes of dealing with tragic loss and with being different.-Renee Steinberg, formerly at Fieldstone Middle School, Montvale, NJ

Copyright 2004 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2004
Gr. 8-12. "I'm . . . an anger salad," says 16-year-old Pamela Jean, or Star, as she calls herself. After her mother's death from breast cancer a few months earlier, Star lives with her sweet, Harley-driving stepfather, who struggles with his own grief. Listening to music (especially the Beatles, whom her mother also loved) and playing her guitar give Star the greatest comfort. She longs to write a song for her mother, but she can't seem to find the words and music through her sadness. Set in 1980, Delaney's novel tells a quiet, moving story about a smart, capable teen learning to cope with a parent's death. Star's first-person narrative sounds a bit too self-aware in places, and some readers will be puzzled by the teen's budding, unresolved romance with her male best friend, who seems to be questioning his sexuality. What works best is Star's believable, gradual healing, described in vivid details and memorable scenes, as she finds ways to stay connected to her mother through their shared passion for music.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2004, American Library Association.)