Description
When a punk band asks Kallie to sing for them, she must decide if she's got the heart.
Kallie Echo is starting to think dreams are dangerous. Her dad had one—to be a rock star—and then he died. Now Kallie is practically homeless and her life is falling apart. When she's asked to front a band of rocker chicks (and one trans guy), she wonders if she can find a new purpose in punk? Or if the drummer with the amazing smile will break her heart? Everything hinges on Kallie. It's a lot of pressure—especially when you throw in substance abuse and Kallie's deadbeat mom showing up at the worst time. Kallie must learn to trust her friends, and herself if she's going to get over the past and make a new future.
This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for teen readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.
Contributor Notes
Brooke Carter was born in beautiful British Columbia, where she earned an MFA in creative writing (UBC). She is the author of several contemporary books for teens, including Sulfur Heart, Double or Nothing and Learning Seventeen in the Orca Soundings line.
Recommended Age, Grade, and Reading Levels
- Age:
- 12 to 18
- Grade:
- 8 to 12
- Reading age:
- 12 to 18
Editorial Reviews
"Carter's novel is a quick paced read that packs a lot of action into its 127-pages...The novel is able to knit together weighty themes including transgender issues, dealing with death, finding love and substance abuse. Specifically, Carter's presentation of transgender issues and how someone might experience them in a real life are believable and may help readers understand these realities more deeply...Recommended."
— CM: Canadian Review of Materials
"A thoroughly modern and realistic love story unencumbered by moralizing or politics…There is depth to this truncated story and the author's edgy delivery saves it from shallow breathiness. The title is a characteristic touch of the book's unadorned view of life balanced by a faith in abiding goodness, regardless of context. The story of the transitioning Jamie and [his] involvement with Kallie has a ring of genuine truth about it."
— Resource Links
