Vandal - Hardcover

Michael Simmons lives in New York City. He is the author of two novels, Pool Boy, which received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, Kirkus, and The Bulletin, and Finding Lubchenko.

*Starred Review* Gr. 7-10. "Just in case you've been thinking that I'm a funny, lighthearted guy, and that this is going to be a funny story, let me say one more thing: this is a sad story. Really." No disagreement here, but it's also a deftly structured, refreshingly unsentimental, and witty analysis of the resilient, complicated bonds that connect siblings. Sixteen-year-old Will has conflicted emotions about his delinquent older brother; he fears Jason's wild, frightening behavior but continues to yearn for a closer relationship. When Jason returns from a stint in juvenile hall, he accepts a job with Will's up-and-coming KISS tribute band, triggering events with consequences devastating to the entire family. Evolving alongside the tense drama is the equally fascinating story of Will's guitar-playing career, well stocked with behind-the-scenes glimpses of gigs and as articulate about the joys of music as Christopher Krovatin's Heavy Metal & You (2005). The boys' "unblemished, totally enchanting" younger sister is too angelic, but other off notes are difficult to find: the character study of a bully who "was more than just a brute" is nuanced, the pacing is skillfully modulated, and the conclusion, free of nostrums about catharsis and rehabilitation, feels touching and true. For another novel about a teen grappling with a sibling's misdeeds, look to David Klass' Dark Angel. Steer teens looking for more books with a music theme to Mike Tanner's Resurrection Blues (2005) or Blake Nelson's Rock Star Superstar (2004). Jennifer Mattson
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