Wonderful Feels Like This

Gr 8 Up—Fifteen-year-old Steffi Herra spends every free moment listening to classic jazz recordings, writing song lyrics, or practicing walking bass lines on her guitar. This love of music provides a welcome distraction from her nonexistent social life, annoying family, and taunting classmates. Steffi has been the butt of cruel pranks for years and feels powerless to stop the abuse. One day, she hears her favorite song coming from a window on her way home from school. It is the local nursing home, and the tune is being played by Alvar, an elderly bass player. Steffi becomes a regular visitor, and the garrulous gent spins records on his gramophone and recounts his journey to Stockholm to be a part of the nascent jazz scene during World War II. Alvar was actually there and making a name for himself as a working musician when the tunes were recorded. Not only do Steffi and Alvar bond over their love of music but he also empowers her to see beyond the confines of her small town and to pursue her passion. The period details of the war years and bits of Swedish culture are rich and evocative, and Steffi's story is universal and will appeal to music lovers and outsiders anywhere.