My Year of Epic Rock

July 15, 2014
The start of seventh grade is supposed to be filled with excitement for Nina and her best friend, Brianna, but Nina suddenly finds herself adrift when Brianna ditches her for a new, more sophisticated and ultracool best friend.Feeling abandoned isn't the only challenge that Nina faces. She also has several dangerous food allergies and must be extremely careful about what she eats. Now that Brianna has moved on, Nina begins eating lunch at the "peanut-free table" with the other kids who have food allergies. As she forms new friendships, Nina is able to recognize some of Brianna's crueler traits. She comes to realize that she was living in the shadow of her former friend and begins to feel more comfortable being herself. Her new group decides to form a band, the EpiPens, to perform at the upcoming school talent show. However, music plays a very minor role in the plot, which is mostly driven by Nina's struggles with food and friendship. The narrative is quite tame in its language, humor and romance (particularly given the ages represented), making it a good choice for younger readers.Slightly bland, though valuable for its portrayal of a young person living with serious food allergies. (Fiction. 9-12)

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September 1, 2014

Gr 5-9-Nina is excited for the start of seventh grade. She is planning many adventures with her best friend, Brianna. Unfortunately, the first day of school proves to be anything but epic. Brianna has become best friends with a new girl and spends most of her time ignoring Nina. With nary a friend in sight, Nina is forced to sit at the peanut-free lunch table with peers who also have food allergies. These are the people Nina and Brianna used to mock, so it is somewhat discomfiting to be with the "outcasts" all of a sudden. As seventh grade progresses, Nina learns all about the highs and lows of making new friends as they prepare for the school talent show. Nina is an exasperated tween who doesn't want to put up with her family's coddling when it comes to her food allergies. She feels the push and pull of her relationship with Brianna and it frustrates her. Fortunately, Nina is brave and at times, pragmatic, and recognizes she deserves to be treated better. With food allergies becoming commonplace for many kids, Nina's struggles will hit the right note with readers. Pyros does not break new ground with these middle school struggles, but Nina is a likable character and her story feels authentic. A charming addition to upper elementary and middle school collections.-Sarah Wethern, Douglas County Library, Alexandria, MN

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2014
Grades 5-8 It's the beginning of seventh grade, and Nina's BFF Brianna is giving her the cold shoulder in favor of a new friend. Nina also has another problem: she can't eat peanuts or eggs. Without friends at lunch, Nina plops herself down at the allergy table. There she makes new pals and ends up being the drummer in a band they're forming for the talent show. Despite that, she keeps trying to get into Brianna's good graces, and the only way, she learns, is to be snarky about other people, including her bandmates. When Nina realizes that Brianna is all about putting others down to seem cool and that she herself went along with it for years, Nina backs away. Of course, the band rocks out at the end, but that's just the icing. Nina's ability to finally stand up to the girl she always thought was her friend is the cake. A perfect read for anyone who feels BFF-challenged, and the food allergy aspect may attract kids who have such issues.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)