Thank you to TBR & Beyond and Net Galley for an ARC of the graphic novel to review. 

Genre: Middle-Grade Contemporary Graphic Novel
Publishing date: April 5th, 2022

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Synopsis:

A young girl in middle school will do whatever it takes to meet her favorite author–even if it means joining her school band! A contemporary graphic novel about making your dream come true–and the friends you make along the way.

When Scout learns that her favorite author is doing an exclusive autograph session at the end of the year, she’s determined to be there! She officially needs a plan…and when she finds out that her school’s band is heading to the same location for their annual trip, an idea takes shape. Being a band kid can’t be that hard, right?

As it turns out, learning how to play an instrument when you can’t even read music is much, much, MUCH tougher than expected. And it’s even harder for Scout when her friends aren’t on board with her new hobby. Will she be able to master the trombone, make new band friends, and get to her favorite author’s book signing? Tackling everything seems like a challenge for a supergenius superfriend supermusician–and she’s just Scout.

Review

Rating: 5 stars

Characters 

The characters in this novel were absolutely fantastic, and I loved them. These characters and their love for the band, and music took me back to my high school days of being in choirs. Fandom also played another role in the characters’ lives specifically, a book and video game fandom, and I loved their passion so much. As a lover of books and video games, I loved seeing two things I love as plot points in the book. Band kids and students involved in the arts tend to stick together and find their group of friends when they join a creative extracurricular. They showed this in the novel when Scout joined the band and found new friends there. Also, the way Scout and Merrin had a rocky start and then became friends, was so sweet. Character profiles with stats were a fun and creative addition to the story and their personalities. 

Plot

The plot in this novel is one that was very fun to follow. Scout joins the band to meet her favorite author at a fest the band performs at, and I loved following the journey in the story. Through her time in the band, Scout goes on a journey of self-discovery and growth, which was fun to go along for the ride on. Although Scout started off joining the band for the wrong reasons, she made friends with common interests, and this was exactly what she needed. Another part of the story was about Scout and her online friend Lou, and their friendship was so sweet. As someone who has several online friends as well, I loved reading their scenes. 

Writing 

The writing of this novel was fantastic. Jade Armstrong uses tone in a fun and unique way, keeping the reader interested in how the scene will go. Most of Scout is Not A Band Kid is filled with a light and fun tone, which I loved because most of the time, that was Scout’s personality. There are so heavier scenes in the novel, and these had a heavier tone. These scenes also had more honest conversations, which I enjoyed. 

Art

The art in this novel was fantastic, and I loved the art style so much. Scout is Not A Band Kid is a modern story, and the art style feels modern. Sometimes when you read Graphic Novels, the art can take away from the story, and this is not the case here. The art works in tandem with the writing to help tell the story. 

Enjoyment/ recommend for 

I recommend this novel to those that want a cute Middle-Grade Contemporary Graphic Novel. Scout Is Not A Band Kid is a love letter to the creative kids, and I loved that so much. I’m going to keep recommending this to both kids and adults for years to come.  

Favorite Quotes

“You mean the music notes”- Merrin

“Please. Like I can tell when someone is playing pianissimo? What’s really going on?”-  Merrin 

“So this is how you treat all your new tromboners? I’m being interrogated!”- Scout 

“Merrin is extra because she’s classically trained in piano or whatever.”- Victor 

“My passion and love for the sport alone got me into band.”- Scout

“Sick, but only on Tuesdays from 3:00-4:30 PM?” 

“I like that game a whole lot.” Merrin

“Shh! Don’t say that to loud the Baritones are always listening.”-Merrin 

“I’m not goofy! I’m cool”- Scout 

“Yeah! Also, her costume is really cute …..” -Merrin 

“It’s sooo cute! I wanna cosplay it so bad.”- Scout 

“I love soundtracks. I want to make fantasy-style ones.”- Merrin 

“Well stores don’t always have the clothes I want to wear.”- Scout 

About the Author

My name is Jade Armstrong, and I am a non-binary cartoonist. I was raised in a little town called Almonte, Ontario, before heading off to Toronto to work in comics and animation. I’ve worked as background painter in television for 4 years. At the moment, I float between Toronto, Almonte and Montréal.

More than anything I love to make comics. You can check out my full CV here!

My debut middle grade graphic novel, SCOUT IS NOT A BAND KID, is set to be published by Random House Graphics April 5th, 2022.

I’m also a member of the comics collective HELLO BOYFRIEND. We are a bunch of pals who love comics and make comics together!

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

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