Found Sound

Gr 2-6–Many readers will already know about art/music’s influence on a person’s growth and social-emotional development, yet few truly realize the untapped power art/music has on memory and human connection, especially when the creation is their own. Mother-son duo Wolitzer and Panek team up to illustrate how found music (the unexpected ordinary noise that makes up the humdrum of daily life) can empower individuals and boost creativity. Fifth grader Felix, brother Miles, and parents leave New York City every summer so the kids can be in a gifted program in Massachusetts. When Felix can’t attend the program, he hesitantly meets up with neighbor Marigold as they stumble on a field recorder with voice memos that leads them on a wild hunt around town. Little do the friends know that Felix’s estranged adult brother, Dylan, created a puzzle hunt to improve ties with his family. This novel shares lessons about self-acceptance, imploring readers to show their authentic selves and share with others. Educators will appreciate the subtle digs at the state of libraries with closures, discussion of changing relationships with friends, social-emotional learning connections, and student research. Adults who come across this will love the retro cassette tapes and older ways of producing music. Music and riddle enthusiasts will love the way Felix and Marigold discover unexpected sounds and create complex art out of the mundane. Felix has pale skin; additional character description is minimal.