Battle of the Bands

August 1, 2021

Gr 9 Up-In this collection of interconnected short stories, 15 young adult authors place readers in the middle of an epic battle of the bands at one New Jersey high school. The contributors work in secret crushes, love triangles, music-hating judges, fangirls, band drama, merch kids, frustrated stage managers, feminist sound girls, and even acid trips, giving teens an exciting romp through a night of eclectic performances and experiences. Gibaldi and Smith artfully curated these first- and third-person entries, and readers will feel invested in the lives and experiences of each protagonist. The tales feature characters from different races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, class backgrounds. The energy of this collection will draw young people into the drama of being in a band, falling in love, the ups and downs of competition, and the unknown after high school all through heartfelt and often hilarious moments that build up to an epic finish. VERDICT A must-have for all YA collections, especially where anthologies are popular.-Rebekah Buchanan, Western Illinois Univ., Macomb, IL

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Starred review from August 9, 2021
Edited by Smith (Don’t Read the Comments) and Gibaldi (This Tiny Perfect World), this entertaining collection of 16 interconnected contemporary tales centers a battle of the bands at a New Jersey high school. In “The Ride” by Jenn Marie Thorne, a girl dumps her narcissistic musician boyfriend, prompting her to step up and claim the spotlight instead, while in Shaun David Hutchinson’s “Love Is a Battlefield,” a bisexual competition judge juggles relationships with the lead singers of two different bands. Preeti Chhibber’s “Merch to Do About Nothing” features two Indian American teens running different merch tables who bond as the evening progresses, and in Lauren Gibaldi’s “Set the World on Fire,” a put-upon stage manager reacts to the events and chaos sparked by the bands. Other contributors include Brittany Cavallaro, Jay Coles, Motion City Soundtrack lead vocalist Justin Courtney Pierre, Sarvenaz Taghavian, and Jenny Torres Sanchez. Chronicling the breakups, make-ups, make-outs, and breakout performances of myriad intersectionally diverse teens, this anthology’s deliberate pacing allows each entry to stand on its own while harmonizing pleasantly with the larger melody of the night’s overlapping characters and events. Ages 14–up. Agent: Dawn Frederick, Red Sofa Literary.

Starred review from August 1, 2021
One night, 16 bands, even more stories. It's Battle of the Bands night at Raritan River High School in the New Jersey suburbs. Over the course of one hectic evening, emo, punk, solo keyboard, and other acts compete for a shot at recording in a real studio, a big deal for kids with dreams of going pro. Each chapter focuses on a different student as their stories of music, friendship, family, and heartache tightly interlock. A glance at the table of contents might make this seem like a collection of short stories; each titled chapter is penned by a different young adult author, together forming a diverse cast of contributors (and protagonists). However, each story takes place around the same event, in the same place, with the same characters and bands flitting through as the various individuals share their stories. This impressive collection manages to sustain its jubilant energy, and each author's distinct voice shines through without the whole feeling at all inconsistent. The stories are original enough to keep readers turning pages, while the overall conceit--drama both on and off stage--ties it all together. Without being able to hear the music, the original song lyrics in italics throughout are less interesting, however. An impressive feat impeccably pulled off. (contributor list) (Fiction. 12-18)

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