Want to Be in a Band?

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 naïve 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