Want to Be in a Band?

Starred review from November 26, 2012
With the characteristic wit known to her fans, Roche, of the folk-rock band the Roches, disguises first-person memoir as second-person advice about making music. “First you’ll need two interesting, smart older sisters who can play guitars and sing,” she begins. As gifted a writer as she is a performer, Roche employs a tone that stretches from encouraging (“If you start to feel hopeless, take a deep breath, close your eyes and say ‘I can do it’ three times”) to goofy (“If you can’t agree about which notes to sing... it will make your music sound strange, maybe like a churning garbage truck”) and honest (about not being the “Next Big Thing” anymore: “Don’t be surprised if it makes you and your sisters feel sort of crummy and sad”). At the book’s heart is a well of feeling, and Potter’s watercolor-and-ink spreads—with their self-conscious, folk-naïf figures and whimsical asides (musical notes flying from a guitar, a whale surfacing from the ocean over which the band travels on tour)—look like the Roches’ music visualized. Ages 4–8.

January 1, 2013
While many children may answer the titular question in the affirmative, it seems likely that only (some) adults will appreciate the behind-the-scenes glimpse of one group's genesis offered by quirky songstress Roche. Although she begins by suggesting that, in general, kids who like to make noise may be budding musicians, Roche's perspective quickly becomes specific. If you want to be in a band, "you'll need two interesting, smart older sisters who can play guitars and sing." She's also a wee bit behind the times: The band she suggests emulating is the Beatles (though showing the dog in a shaggy wig as Ringo is worth a giggle--at least to grownups, who'll know who he is). Roche does provide, and reiterate, some pragmatic advice: Aspiring musicians will need to practice, practice, practice. But it's buried in an arch, overlong text with minimal child appeal. Potter's distinctive watercolor-and-ink illustrations feature flat-faced characters and straightforward compositions, effectively conveying the action and creating a retro vibe. This suits Roche's somewhat nostalgic view of growing up and getting famous perfectly, but unfortunately, it does little to inject energy or interest. Fans of the Roches will appreciate in-jokes, like the mention of strawberry-apricot pie, but ultimately, this chronicle of perfecting skills and performing for ever larger audiences is too narrowly focused to provide encouragement, entertainment or inspiration. (Picture book. 6-8)

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March 1, 2013

Gr 3-5-Appealing to the listener's inner musician, the author (youngest sister of the indie folk-rock trio, the Roches) begins with a question: "Are you one of those kids who likes to make noise?" She then prescribes a plan to form a successful band, even if "you only know how to play air guitar." Skeptics may not make it beyond their disbelief, but Roche continues with a rundown involving the pain of learning to play a stringed instrument (her choice), tips for dealing with discouragement, the necessity of practicing, and attending to reactions. Potter's signature naive style is the perfect accompaniment to the fictionalized narrative of these women-noted for their quirky lyrics and humorous performances. The artist uses bright watercolors and bold patterns to highlight the sisters and their family; the backgrounds are more subdued, and the audiences, monochromatic. While the pajama-clad child prancing around the kitchen, banging a pot and wearing a colander on her head, suggests a younger demographic, this is not the right companion for Leslie Patricelli's Be Quiet, Mike! (Candlewick, 2011). Many years and page turns go by before a band is named, formed, discovered, recorded, and touring. Readers need patience and an interest in the process and the motivations of the aging performers. While the second-person voice is occasionally awkward as it mixes Roche's life with children's imagined experiences, it does draw readers in. Recommended for music fans in intimate, intergenerational settings.-Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2012
Grades 1-3 Instead of taking the typical here's-how-it's-done route, this inventive picture book uses the concept of forming a band to convey a surprisingly wide-reaching story of sisterly love. The narrator offers amusingly specific instructions to the reader (represented in the story by a ponytailed little girl): First, you'll need two interesting, smart older sisters who can play guitars and sing. Got it? What's so genuine about this semiautobiographical tale (Roche was part of the indie-folk outfit The Roches for 30 years) are the realistic temporal jumps: Now you can let a couple years go by. The three sisters get older and graduate from living room shows to street corner performances to music clubs to international tours, all the while having fun and, of course, bickering. Oh, and try to be gentle with each other. After all, these are your dear sisters. Potter's folksy, weird-angled watercolors at first seem an odd fit for the let's-rock material, though as the sisters age, these illustrations become increasingly poignant. A totally unique angle on a timeless theme.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)