Struts and Frets

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Bibliography:
Skovron, Jon. 2009. Struts and Frets. New York: Amulet Books. ISBN 9780810941748
Summary:
What do you do when your band's lead singer is a rageaholic, your best friend from childhood is crushing on you, and the Gramps that you know and love is slipping away? Sammy Bojar sure as heck doesn't know. All Sammy wants to do is write songs and play music but life keeps getting in the way. Joe, the lead singer of his band, is a total jerk but Sammy and his other band mates put up with him out of fear and, for Sammy, a desperation to keep the band together; his only outlet for his music. Jen5, sometimes called Fiver (because there were four other Jennifers in their class and, according to Jen5, "it took five versions to get it perfect") has been Sammy's best friend since they were kids but Sammy is finding out that she has stronger feelings for him. But how can they move into a relationship without the weirdness, and does Sammy even want to? And then there is Sammy's Gramps, a musical genius whom Sammy deeply relates to, and who is also becoming more and more a stranger as dementia takes hold. This is the story of a young musician coming of age and trying to find his place in the world. Through truly seeing and understanding the people who play a part in his life, he will begin to discover himself; who he is and who he wants to be.
Critical Analysis:
Jon Skovron was another of the authors at the Greater Houston Teen Book Convention that I attended and, I admit, I bought his book in part because he was just so funny! When asked how he found an authentic teenage voice for Sammy, he said he could just hear his sixteen-year-old, snarky, sarcastic self over his shoulder. You just have to love a guy who uses the word "snarky". Fortunately, I was not disappointed! This book, told through the eyes of Sammy, is written with a wonderful honesty. Everything from the realistic dialogue to the very real and identifiable issues the characters are dealing with, capture the emotions of those tumultuous years when you are on the brink of figuring out who you are, and seeing others, maybe for the first time, for who they are. Sammy Bojar is an extremely likable protagonist, owning a great sense of humor and an emotional maturity beyond his years. The other characters are also fully developed and given the depth needed for Sammy, as well as the reader, to understand where they are coming from and why they do some of the things that they do. The feel of this book is obviously very music-oriented. Even though all readers can relate to and enjoy this story, it will definitely strike a chord with music lovers and musicians. Each chapter is named for a song title and there is a soundtrack play list for the book at the end. The author's knowledge of music is apparent and current references to the indie music scene gives credibility to the story. However, this book would just be a another well-written and humorous look at the teenage years, if it weren't for the complexity that Sammy's relationship with his grandfather brings to the story. Through this touching connection between grandfather and grandson, Skovron does an amazing job of clearly depicting the thin line between creative genius and madness, and Sammy's fear of sharing the same fate as his Gramps. In one conversation, Gramps likens the experience of getting lost in playing music to a relentless pursuit of searching for the moon. "It's a beautiful thing when you touch it. But there's an awful price to pay. Look what it did to me. And I'm one of the lucky ones...But it was worth it. Such wonder. Such magic." Anyone who has ever witnessed the slow loss of a loved one to dementia or Alzheimer's will identify with Sammy's feelings. Overall, Skovron writes an honest and funny look at coming of age with a musical twist and a surprising depth that sets it apart from other books in this genre. This is Jon Skovron's debut novel and I, for one, can't wait to see what he writes next!
Review Excerpt
School Library Journal-Gr. 9 and up-"This debut novel will find an audience not just with music fans, but also with those who appreciate a good coming-of-age story."

Check out Jon Skovron's web site

FYI for classroom use: This book does contain profanity, including the F-bomb, and includes a homosexual character. It also describes a first sexual encounter though it is not graphic at all (describes the initial kissing and then skips to afterward).