Breakout

December 15, 2014
Set in Seattle, Emerson’s tale explores the trials of guitarist and singer Anthony Castillo, whose only reprieve from the misery of eighth grade is band practice and the prospect of performing an original song at the school’s upcoming Fall Arts Night. Anthony compares his daily challenges to scenarios in Liberation Force 4.5, a video game he plays with his best friend Keenan: “Every time you tunnel out, you end up against another concrete wall topped with barbed wire and grown-ups in the sentry posts.” Rage at being unfairly grounded inspires Anthony to write heartfelt lyrics that describe his sense of entrapment and include a few emphatic profanities. After Keenan uploads the song to the group’s BandSpace page and it becomes an overnight sensation, Anthony faces daunting pressures and high-stakes choices. Emerson (the Atlanteans series) captures the heady mixture of pride, vulnerability, amazement, and fear Anthony feels in having created something of personal significance that, once public, takes on a life of its own. Angst-ridden romantic undercurrents and well-drawn supporting characters enrich this satisfying coming-of-age story. Ages 12–up. Agent: George Nicholson, Sterling Lord Literistic.

November 15, 2014
An eighth grader writes a song that perfectly captures how he feels about being stuck between childhood and adulthood.Anthony's in a tough spot. He's feeling disrespected in the classroom and at home. The only place he feels valued is in the after-school Rock Band Club, a program in which he and his friends excel. After a particularly tough day, Anthony stays up all night writing an angst-y anthem that goes viral. His band mates want to play the song at the school's talent show, but will the administration let them play a song with a couple f-bombs in it? Emerson's prose captures the early-teen mood swings well, but it feels weird coming from a character who does fairly well in school and has two loving parents who support his musical interests. When his song crescendos with a repeated, screamed "F*** THIS PLACE!" it's hard not to wonder what it is exactly he hates-a point his club adviser tries to get at as well. Regardless, the narrative momentum keeps readers invested in Anthony's moral conundrum. Unfortunately the book's ending fizzles out in the most disappointing-if realistic-way possible, failing to provide any sort of satisfying resolution to Anthony's problems. A strong effort that stumbles short of the finish line. (Fiction. 12-14)

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March 1, 2015

Gr 6 Up-Eighth grader Anthony Castillo is fed up with his friends, his teachers, and even his parents. He lets it all out in a song that expresses all of his hate and anger, no-holds-barred. He didn't count on the song accidentally getting out and going viral. With his song quickly spreading around his school and the world, Anthony starts receiving positive attention, including from his crush. With his new reputation as a rebel and an upcoming band showcase, pressure mounts for Anthony to perform his song live, a song full of feelings and language that could get him back in hot water again. Emerson paints the angsty ups and downs of a middleschooler feeling misunderstood with lots of drama. Unfortunately, the level of anger that Anthony feels is disproportionate to the reality that is presented within the text. Anthony's voice feels young at times, not jiving with the intense rage and sometimes complicated feelings presented. However, the story's strength and momentum revolves around a cast of colorful secondary characters and the musical story line. VERDICT A work that stays away from anything too edgy or deep, it's still a solid coming-of-age tale that younger readers will pick up for its emotion and shades of rock and roll.-Sarah Townsend, Norfolk Public Library, VA

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2014
Grades 7-10 According to Anthony Castillo, eighth-graders battle in the trenches between being a kid and being a teen. All he wants is to rock the Fall Arts Night with his band, the Rusty Soles. But his teachers, his parents, and even, at times, his peers contribute to his sense of helplessness, trapping him within expectations about schoolwork, behavior, and attitude. When Anthony writes an anthem about his frustrations, the song goes viral and sets up a chain of events that just might reinvent him as a student-body hero. (Or get him suspended.) Emerson has written a funny, perceptive book about a kid who views life through the filter of his favorite WWII video game, Liberation Force 4.5 ( There is no secret tunnel out of eighth grade ), and is searching for his voice, both artistically and socially. For all his inability to make adults listen, Anthony is an honest narrator, and his battles with the Man, prediabetes, and the responsibilities of the spotlight will resonate with readers ready to break out of their own bunkers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)