Overview

Twelve-year-old Enly Wu Lewis needs to go to band camp this summer. It’ll help him follow in the footsteps of his dad, a musician who died when Enly was too young to even remember him. Enly isn’t sure if he has his dad’s talent, but he wants to find out. There’s just one hitch: The camp is too expensive, and Enly’s mom is saving every penny for his older brother’s college tuition. So Enly sets out to earn the money for camp on his own by busking—playing music on the sidewalk in the touristy part of town. What could go wrong? For one thing, the only instrument he can afford is a melodica, a cross between a harmonica and a keyboard, which he can only kind of play. And for another thing, it’s harder than Enly expected to make serious money busking. When someone drops a winning scratch-off lottery ticket into his tip box, Enly thinks it’s the answer to all his problems. But he’ll still have to face teenage thieves, his disgruntled best friend, a rogue pet pig, and his own family if he wants to achieve his dreams.

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9781728424569

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Reviews

Jennie Liu gently explores what gentrification can mean for communities, and in doing so she encourages readers who need to be seen as well as those who need to see. Enly is a fun, determined kid. Some of his choices made me cringe but more made me cheer him on, and I would stop to listen to him play the melodica anytime! I tip my hat to Liu--and put a tip in the hat for Enly!--Rebecca Petruck, author of Boy Bites Bug and Steering Toward Normal -- Other Print (6/14/2022 12:00:00 AM) A fast-paced, quirky caper with an authentic middle-grade voice.--Alan Gratz, New York Times bestselling author -- Other Print (5/23/2022 12:00:00 AM) In Jennie Liu's witty and wise new book, dreams come true with the help of family, friends, and a special community. --Bobbie Pyron, author of Lucky Strike -- Other Print (5/9/2022 12:00:00 AM)

A fast-paced, quirky caper with an authentic middle-grade voice. --Alan Gratz, New York Times bestselling author -- Other Print (5/23/2022 12:00:00 AM) A sixth grader tries to make money to attend music camp. When Enly Wu Lewis' best friend, Pinky, shows him a flyer for a music-themed summer camp, Enly is determined to attend. It's his chance to learn more than just the church songs and show tunes in his piano teacher's repertoire and to become a musician like his late father. It's an uphill battle, though--$2,800 for a two-week camp is out of the question. There's no way his mother would divert any potential savings from his brother's college fund, especially for music. But maybe Enly can earn the cash by busking with his keyboard. After a rough start with a new instrument and a possible lottery ticket payout, he might just make a dent in the camp costs. In this fast-moving tale, Liu explores the push and pull of dreams and circumstance. Readers will connect with idealistic Enly and his drive to pursue music despite the obstacles. A single parent in an increasingly gentrifying city, Enly's mom is focused on day-to-day life and an economic path for her children. Ultimately, the family meets in the middle. Secondary characters like elderly piano teacher Ms. Maisie and Saxophone Joe, a grumpy, disabled war veteran, show the support found in community, though they, particularly Enly's mother, could do with more nuanced portrayal. Enly is biracial (his mother is Chinese; his father was White), while Pinky is cued Black. A quick-paced coming-of-age story exploring music and family expectations. --Kirkus Reviews -- Journal (12/1/2022 12:00:00 AM) In Jennie Liu's witty and wise new book, dreams come true with the help of family, friends, and a special community. --Bobbie Pyron, author of Lucky Strike -- Other Print (5/9/2022 12:00:00 AM) Jennie Liu gently explores what gentrification can mean for communities, and in doing so she encourages readers who need to be seen as well as those who need to see. Enly is a fun, determined kid. Some of his choices made me cringe but more made me cheer him on, and I would stop to listen to him play the melodica anytime! I tip my hat to Liu--and put a tip in the hat for Enly! --Rebecca Petruck, author of Boy Bites Bug and Steering Toward Normal -- Other Print (6/14/2022 12:00:00 AM)

"""A quick-paced coming-of-age story exploring music and family expectations.""--Kirkus Reviews -- (12/1/2022 12:00:00 AM) ""Encourages readers who need to be seen as well as those who need to see . . . I tip my hat to Liu--and put a tip in the hat for Enly!""--Rebecca Petruck, author of Boy Bites Bug and Steering Toward Normal -- (6/14/2022 12:00:00 AM) ""This fast and furious plot will have readers alternately cringing and cheering at Enly's impulsiveness, fully invested in this protagonist's success. While the tone is light, some serious issues are gently explored: gentrification, grief, wealth and lack of it, family ties, and friendship.""--School Library Journal -- (2/1/2023 12:00:00 AM) ""Witty and wise.""--Bobbie Pyron, author of Lucky Strike -- (5/9/2022 12:00:00 AM) ""A fast-paced, quirky caper with an authentic middle-grade voice.""--Alan Gratz, New York Times bestselling author -- (5/23/2022 12:00:00 AM)"

Author Information

Jennie Liu is the daughter of Chinese immigrants. She has been fascinated by the attitudes, social policies, and changes in China each time she visits. Her young adult novels have won honors including a Freeman Book Award Honorable Mention and an In the Margins: Best Books for Teens award. She lives in North Carolina with her family.

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