Thunderbowl

Deborah Dowson is a Canadian children’s librarian living in Powell,
Ohio.

Jeremy’s band, Thunderbowl, has just landed their first professional
gig, but Jeremy can tell from the start that it is going to mean
trouble. For one thing, he is only 16, and playing four nights a week in
a bar until one in the morning is going to be disastrous for his school
work. There is also the matter of the band they are replacing, the aptly
named Mongrel Dogs, who are simply bad news with an attitude. Jeremy is
a good kid with good intentions who just wants to perform on his guitar,
but the situations he finds himself in keep getting worse. When he
realizes that he doesn’t like what has happened to his life, he begins
to take charge and he makes a choice that allows him to have a life he
can live with.

This young-adult novel for reluctant readers delivers a tough, edgy
story with a soft centre. The first-person narrator is extremely
serious, matter-of-fact, and to the point. His demeanour doesn’t
change whether he is winning a battle-of-the-bands contest or having his
tooth knocked out, yet he is always just trying to do the right thing
and keep out of trouble. The storyline is well peppered with tension and
action. The subject matter and brusque style of presentation may also
help to invite teen readers to turn off the rock music and pick up the
book. Recommended.