Heavy Vinyl

Gr 9 Up-In New Jersey in 1998, a group of teens working in a record store called Vinyl Destination secretly form a female vigilante group dedicated to stopping injustice and combatting the patriarchy. Chris, the insecure new employee, wants to impress her cool boss Irene and her intimidating coworkers. There's Dolores, a moody Latinx goth girl, and Kennedy, a whip-smart black girl who's dating Logan, a white guy who works at a nearby comic shop. Chris develops a major crush on another coworker, bubbly Maggie, and they tentatively embark on an endearingly awkward romance. When their favorite musician, Stegosour lead singer Rosie Riot, disappears, the girls teach Chris to fight so they can battle bad guys and find Rosie. Rosie's bandmates have been brainwashed by their record label, and the girls want to know why. With 90s nostalgia on the rise, readers will enjoy the pop culture references. The artwork, a pleasing blend of pastels and bright primary colors, will grab readers' attention more than the story. The adorable characters, drawn with big doe eyes and button noses, brim with appeal.