Scout Is Not a Band Kid
by Jade Armstrong; illus. by the author
Middle School    RH Graphic/Random    272 pp.    g
4/22    978-0-593-17623-8    $20.99
Library ed.  978-0-593-17624-5    $23.99
Paper ed.  978-0-593-17622-1    $12.99
e-book ed.  978-0-593-17625-2    $8.99

Scout is not a band kid…she’s a fangirl. This graphic novel celebrates the lengths to which eighth grader Scout goes to meet her idol, Pristine Wong, creator of a beloved (fictional) book series about a magical girl. When Scout learns that her school band will be performing at ­Almontefest—where Wong is doing a signing—she enthusiastically seizes the opportunity to scam her way into the trombone section. The only other trombone player, Merrin, a type-A overachiever, is thrilled to have her company, until Scout’s utter lack of musical knowledge becomes apparent. The two eventually find common ground and discover that each girl’s strengths complement the other’s vulnerabilities. New ­characters are introduced with a stat box that lists their pronouns and ranks personality traits (e.g., Merrin’s “Dexterity, Intelligence, Charisma”) from Scout’s perspective on a scale of one to four stars. Additionally, Armstrong’s cartoony art style and focus on expressions and interactions help animate the characters. While this graphic novel will immediately entice nerdy fans of all stripes, Scout’s development models a nuanced, supported approach to goal-setting that will resonate with many middle-school ­readers. Back matter includes details and reference drawings for Armstrong’s characters, and sixteen four-panel black-and-white mini comics.

From the March/April 2022 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.