After meeting at jazz camp, what might be the world's worst musical trio decides to ditch the camp and go on a road trip, determined to play at any venue that will have them. Teenage best friends Wes (bass) and Corey (drums) join up with a mercurial, dynamic girl named Ash (guitar) and head out on the highway, aiming for adventure but finding wacky hijinks and weird people. There's yelling, bad decisions, marijuana-fueled interludes, impromptu jam sessions, and way too much caffeine and junk food, and it all comes to a head when they realize it's time to face the music. Andrews (Me and Earl and the Dying Girl) loads his gonzo road trip with offbeat humor, philosophical musings, and musical references and debate, augmenting the narrative with fake Wikipedia entries, flashbacks, and screenplay-format exchanges. Wes's narrative voice is casual and believable, and while not all of the stylistic quirks pay off (such as an extended "drug experience gone wrong," as Wes puts it), but as a love letter to music and following one's dreams, it's just right. Ages 13–up. Agent: Claudia Ballard, William Morris Endeavor. (Apr.)

Wes and Coreyare at a jazz band camp in New York. The musicians are divided into groups named after famous jazz musicians, and Wes and Corey find themselves in the Gene Krupa Band with Ash, the only girl at the camp. They soon realize the Krupa band is for musicians who are considered the worst ones there. When Ash suggests they go on the road to play gigs, they quickly agree. Along the way they sleep in the car, make new friends, pick up a new band mate, and con their way into performing at various dive bars. Relationships are complicated and all the characters have different attitudes about life and love, but for the most part they are all unlikeable. The swearing in the book is excessive and uncomfortable. I'm not sure there is enough to draw students to this book.

Gr 10 Up—The author demonstrates his unique voice in his follow-up to the popular Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. Like that debut, this work features a similar trio: a narrator, his somewhat clueless friend, and a girl who changes them both. Wes and Corey are "jazz-nerd chaff" at Bill Garabedian's Jazz Giants of Tomorrow Intensive Summer Workshop. They don't know that, of course, until they discover that this highly selective camp accepted more drummers and bassists to support other, better musicians. They're not hopeful about the next two weeks until they meet Ash, a guitarist in their ensemble who seems uninterested in playing jazz. Inevitably, the three misfits form a band and escape from camp to launch their world tour. As with most road trips, tensions rise, rivalries form, and jealousy blossoms. Ash is clearly the alpha in the group, making Wes a passive narrator. This works occasionally for the story, especially in the more surreal encounters; however, it also creates a meandering feeling that may wear out some readers. Although not every journey needs a purpose, the characters are not hugely different after what would be a life-altering event for most people. Wes learns to appreciate music rather than simply hating on it; he's a better listener. It's a subtle shift, but perhaps that's Andrews's point. VERDICT Teens who are music nerds or fans of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl will appreciate this novel's sharp wit and playful style.—Joy Piedmont, LREI, New York