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Band Nerd: A Heartfelt Graphic Novel About Music, Family, and Friendship for Kids
Perfect for fans of Roller Girl and New Kid comes a heartfelt coming-of-age story about music, family, and friendship wherein twelve-year-old Lucy Carver must navigate life as band nerd in a new school, all while competing for a top flute soloist spot in band. But for Lucy, facing the music means dealing with the problems at home.
Middle school is tough—thank goodness there’s band.
For twelve-year-old Lucy Carver, music isn’t just a way of life; it’s an escape from homework and an off-key homelife with her alcoholic father. When Lucy starts seventh grade at Windley School of the Arts, with its high academic standards and even higher artistic expectations, it becomes much harder to keep life in tune.
Determined to be the conductor of her own life, Lucy focuses all her energy on beating snobby Tolli Claybourne for first chair flute. As things spiral out of control with her parents and her schoolwork, Lucy grows desperate for a win. Just when she thinks she's hitting all the right notes, an accident leaves her unable to play and her mother threatens to withdraw her for poor grades. Now Lucy must sabotage Tolli or give up on her dream.
Packed with heart, Band Nerd is a poignant coming-of-age story about resilience, family, and using your voice to find harmony even during life’s most discordant moments.
Middle school is tough—thank goodness there’s band.
For twelve-year-old Lucy Carver, music isn’t just a way of life; it’s an escape from homework and an off-key homelife with her alcoholic father. When Lucy starts seventh grade at Windley School of the Arts, with its high academic standards and even higher artistic expectations, it becomes much harder to keep life in tune.
Determined to be the conductor of her own life, Lucy focuses all her energy on beating snobby Tolli Claybourne for first chair flute. As things spiral out of control with her parents and her schoolwork, Lucy grows desperate for a win. Just when she thinks she's hitting all the right notes, an accident leaves her unable to play and her mother threatens to withdraw her for poor grades. Now Lucy must sabotage Tolli or give up on her dream.
Packed with heart, Band Nerd is a poignant coming-of-age story about resilience, family, and using your voice to find harmony even during life’s most discordant moments.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published April 22, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 183 reviews
July 9, 2026
This was phenomenal! However, I definitely recommend checking the content warnings on this one before you pass this out to sensitive readers. It heavily features a father dealing with alcohol addiction and the emotional and verbal fall out of the parents as a result. Big thanks to Sarah Willis for providing a lot of readers the opportunity to see themselves represented on page. I cannot begin to imagine what it's like to experience a parent battling addiction and being a child that feels like it's their responsibility to hold everything together.
May 5, 2026
A seventh grader obsesses on her chair position in the school band in a misguided effort to cope with her father's alcoholism.
As a person still sussing out how much of my personality is due to my own father's drinking, it is very relatable and easy to recommend.
I'm a little too old for all the angsty friendship drama though, and I wish the author hadn't gone for an ending that felt a bit fast and pat while also using one of my biggest pet peeves: stretching out a story set in a school so it exactly fills one entire school year, from first day to final concert.
As a person still sussing out how much of my personality is due to my own father's drinking, it is very relatable and easy to recommend.
I'm a little too old for all the angsty friendship drama though, and I wish the author hadn't gone for an ending that felt a bit fast and pat while also using one of my biggest pet peeves: stretching out a story set in a school so it exactly fills one entire school year, from first day to final concert.
March 27, 2025
this is so niche and literally just my childhood
September 9, 2025
I expected a charming read about high school band life; I received a grim study of life with volatile parents (an alcoholic father and enabling mother). The main character, Lucy, is a "band nerd" in that her time as first chair flute was the last time her life felt settled and remotely happy. So, attending a new arts school, Lucy's number one goal is to become first chair again, even though the competition is fierce and her other studies are more challenging.
Every attempt to obtain first chair leads Lucy further and further down a dark path, shunting aside friends and failing classes. It's a riveting read with that "can't look away" factor. Fortunately, there are a handful of lighter moments where we glimpse the light at the end of the tunnel. But Band Nerd holds few punches - this is a book you definitely shouldn't read by the cover. I enjoyed it, but more from a craftsmanship perspective than from like, joy.
Every attempt to obtain first chair leads Lucy further and further down a dark path, shunting aside friends and failing classes. It's a riveting read with that "can't look away" factor. Fortunately, there are a handful of lighter moments where we glimpse the light at the end of the tunnel. But Band Nerd holds few punches - this is a book you definitely shouldn't read by the cover. I enjoyed it, but more from a craftsmanship perspective than from like, joy.
May 25, 2026
que quadrinho DIABOLICO. Nao sabia que ia tocar em assuntos de pais brigando, alcoolismo em casa, amizades se desfazendo, dramas no colegio. Meu deus me senti mal a leitura inteira.
E nao gostei da resoluçao das coisas. A personagem principal faz coisas que nao deveria? Ctz. Mas fazem a menina se desculpar pra todas as amigas que ela discutiu durante o livro mas as amigas dela sao cuzonas com ela tambem, pq só ela tem que se arrastar no chao e se desculpar?
Os professores colocam uma pressao absurda nos alunos e dps ficam meu deus se estiver te estressando nao precisa fazer. Amor foi vc que colocou essa pressao na cabeça dos alunos.
E os pais: o pai e a mae os dois sao PESSIMOS com a menina o livro inteiro e no final ai terapia familiar, vai ficar td bem. Vcs deram no minimo uns 3 traumas pra vida toda pra essa menina so nessa historia.
Nossa e as cenas do pai sao pessimas, ele é viciado em bebida, aparece varias vezes sem camisa, discute mt com a mae, e a mae continua comprando cerveja. Nossa eu acho que era pra ser desconfortavel mesmo, pra gente sentir na pele como é uma situaçao de merda isso, mas nossa parecia sempre que tava a um passo de alguma coisa mais drastica acontecer.
Ai sei la, achei que ctz a historia faz vc SENTIR. fiquei me sentindo mal a leitura inteira, mas sei la, achei que seria uma historia infantojuvenil mais leve (a capa te leva a pensar isso) e realmente é meio infantojuvenil mesmo mas sei la toca nuns temas mt espinhosos e a resoluçao final eu achei ruim. No final do livro li que é meio memoir autobiografico, fico me sentindo mal de reclamar de memoir pq é o autor contando pelo que ele passou, mas é isso, nao amei.
E nao gostei da resoluçao das coisas. A personagem principal faz coisas que nao deveria? Ctz. Mas fazem a menina se desculpar pra todas as amigas que ela discutiu durante o livro mas as amigas dela sao cuzonas com ela tambem, pq só ela tem que se arrastar no chao e se desculpar?
Os professores colocam uma pressao absurda nos alunos e dps ficam meu deus se estiver te estressando nao precisa fazer. Amor foi vc que colocou essa pressao na cabeça dos alunos.
E os pais: o pai e a mae os dois sao PESSIMOS com a menina o livro inteiro e no final ai terapia familiar, vai ficar td bem. Vcs deram no minimo uns 3 traumas pra vida toda pra essa menina so nessa historia.
Nossa e as cenas do pai sao pessimas, ele é viciado em bebida, aparece varias vezes sem camisa, discute mt com a mae, e a mae continua comprando cerveja. Nossa eu acho que era pra ser desconfortavel mesmo, pra gente sentir na pele como é uma situaçao de merda isso, mas nossa parecia sempre que tava a um passo de alguma coisa mais drastica acontecer.
Ai sei la, achei que ctz a historia faz vc SENTIR. fiquei me sentindo mal a leitura inteira, mas sei la, achei que seria uma historia infantojuvenil mais leve (a capa te leva a pensar isso) e realmente é meio infantojuvenil mesmo mas sei la toca nuns temas mt espinhosos e a resoluçao final eu achei ruim. No final do livro li que é meio memoir autobiografico, fico me sentindo mal de reclamar de memoir pq é o autor contando pelo que ele passou, mas é isso, nao amei.
April 30, 2025
This was wonderfully written and illustrated, coming-of-age story, about a girl who is struggling both at home and at school.
What Lucy and her family don’t realize is how much the situation at home is affecting her and her younger siblings.
Lucy puts so much emphasis on getting first chair at the orchestra, that she neglects her already strained academics, meanwhile, she makes friends but alienates them and she can’t figure out how to make things right.
Lucy’s father, has an alcohol use disorder and that greatly impacts all aspects of their lives. I’ve never seen a MG book or GN directly address alcoholism, and I honestly think it’s great. The problem is named and represented very well.
The story tackles the problem of addiction well. Lucy finds support in her band director and her guidance counselor. They reach out to her parents, she makes amends with her friends.
While it feels like the resolution was simpler than real life, I believe books like this give kids the opportunity to learn there are tools and resources out there, that they are not alone when they have to deal with family that has problems, and that they are a lot of times beyond something they can fix by themselves. I think it’s a great tool to discuss the topic with young readers.
The authors note at the end was also important, as she shares this was inspired by real life experiences from her own childhood.
I received a digital advance copy for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
What Lucy and her family don’t realize is how much the situation at home is affecting her and her younger siblings.
Lucy puts so much emphasis on getting first chair at the orchestra, that she neglects her already strained academics, meanwhile, she makes friends but alienates them and she can’t figure out how to make things right.
Lucy’s father, has an alcohol use disorder and that greatly impacts all aspects of their lives. I’ve never seen a MG book or GN directly address alcoholism, and I honestly think it’s great. The problem is named and represented very well.
The story tackles the problem of addiction well. Lucy finds support in her band director and her guidance counselor. They reach out to her parents, she makes amends with her friends.
While it feels like the resolution was simpler than real life, I believe books like this give kids the opportunity to learn there are tools and resources out there, that they are not alone when they have to deal with family that has problems, and that they are a lot of times beyond something they can fix by themselves. I think it’s a great tool to discuss the topic with young readers.
The authors note at the end was also important, as she shares this was inspired by real life experiences from her own childhood.
I received a digital advance copy for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
April 4, 2026
Love this book! Such a brilliant, contemporary graphic novel that follows 12-year-old Lucy Carver, as she struggles to navigate music, seventh grade, and some issues at home. The illustrations are gorgeous, and I related so strongly to Lucy, both when it came to her love for music and her struggles with school. While the novel deals with harder topics (including an alcoholic father, though not an abusive one), it still manages to have a warm, light-hearted feel with a focus on friendship and family. :) Overall, a great book that I loved reading and would highly recommend to a middle-grade audience!
November 8, 2025
I loved the art. And at times, the story was very impactful. But it just didn't feel cohesive to me as a narrative... learning that this started out as a graphic memoir and then changed into fiction inspired by real life explained that for me.
January 23, 2025
Facing the music can be hard.
🪈
Lucy is leaving her old school behind for a school for the arts so she can play her flute in a better band. However, the classwork is harder and Lucy is no longer first chair like she was at her old school. Home life isn’t like it used to be either with her father out of work and how he spends his days and nights drinking. When an accident leaves Lucy unable to play the flute, she makes a bad decision at school that ends up putting her school career in jeopardy.
🪈
From the cover one would think this is a lighthearted MG graphic novel While it does have some sweet moments and hopeful ending, most of the #book was filled with Lucy’s strife. It being marketed in relation to Roller Girl and I don’t believe that’s an apt comparison. This is definitely upper middle grade that packs quite a punch that many students will connect with and relate to. It focuses on the topic of addiction in a way that is similar to Hey Kiddo, but not YA. I truly enjoyed this title—couldn’t put it down! I just wish HarperAlley was marketing it better.
CW: alcoholism, addiction, theft, fire, injury, divorce, domestic/family fighting, death of a parent (recounted), alcohol
🪈
Lucy is leaving her old school behind for a school for the arts so she can play her flute in a better band. However, the classwork is harder and Lucy is no longer first chair like she was at her old school. Home life isn’t like it used to be either with her father out of work and how he spends his days and nights drinking. When an accident leaves Lucy unable to play the flute, she makes a bad decision at school that ends up putting her school career in jeopardy.
🪈
From the cover one would think this is a lighthearted MG graphic novel While it does have some sweet moments and hopeful ending, most of the #book was filled with Lucy’s strife. It being marketed in relation to Roller Girl and I don’t believe that’s an apt comparison. This is definitely upper middle grade that packs quite a punch that many students will connect with and relate to. It focuses on the topic of addiction in a way that is similar to Hey Kiddo, but not YA. I truly enjoyed this title—couldn’t put it down! I just wish HarperAlley was marketing it better.
CW: alcoholism, addiction, theft, fire, injury, divorce, domestic/family fighting, death of a parent (recounted), alcohol
December 31, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley & HarperAlley for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.
This graphic novel looks like it's bright and hopeful but it's mainly depressing and still slightly hopeful. The protagonist is flawed but you see her family situation and understand why she is the way she is. I didn't really like her "friend" Tolli at all though.
Side note, the art flipped flopped a lot which threw me off. Sometimes it'd be good and sometimes it just looked really rushed and hastily drawn. I especially don't like how they draw the tears, it looks like fountains pouring out of their eyes, lol.
I also recommend this for the Young Adult crowd (Gr 6-12) due to many adult themes in the book, the marketing is comparing it to Rollergirl which it really isn't all that similar in my opinion due to the alcoholism prevalent in the story. The only thing similar is both protagonists are obsessed with a particular hobby and have some questionable behavior but Band Nerd is strictly for Grades 6+ while Rollergirl works well for Grades 3+.
This graphic novel looks like it's bright and hopeful but it's mainly depressing and still slightly hopeful. The protagonist is flawed but you see her family situation and understand why she is the way she is. I didn't really like her "friend" Tolli at all though.
Side note, the art flipped flopped a lot which threw me off. Sometimes it'd be good and sometimes it just looked really rushed and hastily drawn. I especially don't like how they draw the tears, it looks like fountains pouring out of their eyes, lol.
I also recommend this for the Young Adult crowd (Gr 6-12) due to many adult themes in the book, the marketing is comparing it to Rollergirl which it really isn't all that similar in my opinion due to the alcoholism prevalent in the story. The only thing similar is both protagonists are obsessed with a particular hobby and have some questionable behavior but Band Nerd is strictly for Grades 6+ while Rollergirl works well for Grades 3+.
January 7, 2026
A story about a flute player who also loves The Great British Bake Off? Yes please! (There is a lot more to this book which I loved but that definitely hooked me in)
February 9, 2025
Lucy, a middle schooler and the eldest of three siblings, has begged her parents to allow her to enroll in a fancy performing arts school so she can excel at the one thing she’s good at: playing the flute. Navigating a new social arena, practicing the flute to best all the other kids who were the top players at other schools, and keeping her grades above failing are tough—but none of those difficulties compare to what she’s dealing with at home.
Within the first 15 pages, it was clear this wasn’t going to be a light, fluffy MG book. On one hand, I’m in! On the other, whoa, I’d be a little apprehensive throwing this on the graphic novel section of my class library without a trigger warning for kids dealing with an alcoholic, aggressive parent, and another who’s worn thin and enabling. This graphic novel didn’t shy away from difficult topics; it treated them with care and at an appropriate but honest level for MG readers. Comparing it to Rollergirl and New Kid isn’t right, in my opinion. This much more closely fits the tone of Hey, Kiddo.
The social dynamics of a middle school were realistic, and none of the backstories of the characters were over the top. Aside from Lucy, one of the girls lives with her grandmother after living through her own hard times, another misses out on hangouts because of having to watch younger siblings for working parents, and another has an overbearing, perfectionist of a mother. This felt very true to what my students go through at home that their friends probably don’t know about. It’ll help MG readers realize that they’re not alone in their troubles, and that their friends might be dealing with more than they know, too.
Cormarie’s art style fit the bill, too. The bright colors emphasized clear, expressive faces on the characters—sometimes in an almost Peanuts-esque way.
Thanks to HarperAlley for sending this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for these honest thoughts.
Within the first 15 pages, it was clear this wasn’t going to be a light, fluffy MG book. On one hand, I’m in! On the other, whoa, I’d be a little apprehensive throwing this on the graphic novel section of my class library without a trigger warning for kids dealing with an alcoholic, aggressive parent, and another who’s worn thin and enabling. This graphic novel didn’t shy away from difficult topics; it treated them with care and at an appropriate but honest level for MG readers. Comparing it to Rollergirl and New Kid isn’t right, in my opinion. This much more closely fits the tone of Hey, Kiddo.
The social dynamics of a middle school were realistic, and none of the backstories of the characters were over the top. Aside from Lucy, one of the girls lives with her grandmother after living through her own hard times, another misses out on hangouts because of having to watch younger siblings for working parents, and another has an overbearing, perfectionist of a mother. This felt very true to what my students go through at home that their friends probably don’t know about. It’ll help MG readers realize that they’re not alone in their troubles, and that their friends might be dealing with more than they know, too.
Cormarie’s art style fit the bill, too. The bright colors emphasized clear, expressive faces on the characters—sometimes in an almost Peanuts-esque way.
Thanks to HarperAlley for sending this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for these honest thoughts.
September 25, 2025
I went into Band Nerd knowing almost nothing, other than the graphic novel had been recommended by @maggietheramm
I meant to only start to read it, just dip my toe in so to speak, but was so swept up by the story that I couldn’t put it down, and read it in one large gulp when I should have been doing work of all things.
The story follow Lucy, who was a first chair flute at her old school, and gotten into a magnet school that specializes in the arts. She is so sure that she can make first chair here as well, except she is completing against Tolli who gets private lessons, and has a high class flute.
Lucy is just so sure that if she could only make first chair that everything at home will get better. Isn't that what her parents want? Don’t they want that more than anything?
I love how Lucy doesn’t have trouble making friends, which is often what most middle grade books point out about new schools. Instead, it is her putting all her energy into this one goal, while her family drama swirls around her and she tries to ignore it.
If you have read New Kid, you know how having problems at home flavors everything else. When it all came to a head, as it would, I was crying real tears. So good.
All the stars.
I meant to only start to read it, just dip my toe in so to speak, but was so swept up by the story that I couldn’t put it down, and read it in one large gulp when I should have been doing work of all things.
The story follow Lucy, who was a first chair flute at her old school, and gotten into a magnet school that specializes in the arts. She is so sure that she can make first chair here as well, except she is completing against Tolli who gets private lessons, and has a high class flute.
Lucy is just so sure that if she could only make first chair that everything at home will get better. Isn't that what her parents want? Don’t they want that more than anything?
I love how Lucy doesn’t have trouble making friends, which is often what most middle grade books point out about new schools. Instead, it is her putting all her energy into this one goal, while her family drama swirls around her and she tries to ignore it.
If you have read New Kid, you know how having problems at home flavors everything else. When it all came to a head, as it would, I was crying real tears. So good.
All the stars.
September 1, 2025
Lucy is far from perfect -- she isn't good at math or sports, and she's worried about being the new girl at a new school -- but she is good at baking and GREAT at flute. Maybe, if she can be first chair like she was at her old school, her parents will be proud of her again ... maybe they'd stop fighting. Maybe, if she had all the solos, her dad would finally stop drinking for good.
This graphic novel was about so much more than the typical middle school story. I liked how the author tackled a big topic -- alcoholism -- and showed how Lucy's dad's struggle seeped into every aspect of Lucy's life: her grades and her friendships suffered, and she wrestled with the shame of having a dad with addiction problems. Things got worse before they got better (and the ending was realistic instead of picture-perfect). I appreciated seeing all the good adults in Lucy's life: her band director, her friend's grandma, the school guidance counselor. I also liked seeing hints of complicated home life issues in Lucy's friends.
The illustrations in this one are SO well done!
This graphic novel was about so much more than the typical middle school story. I liked how the author tackled a big topic -- alcoholism -- and showed how Lucy's dad's struggle seeped into every aspect of Lucy's life: her grades and her friendships suffered, and she wrestled with the shame of having a dad with addiction problems. Things got worse before they got better (and the ending was realistic instead of picture-perfect). I appreciated seeing all the good adults in Lucy's life: her band director, her friend's grandma, the school guidance counselor. I also liked seeing hints of complicated home life issues in Lucy's friends.
The illustrations in this one are SO well done!
February 9, 2025
Middle school can be tough. Add on top of that a dysfunctional family life and you have a Lucy: a determined, yet sad middle school girl trying to live out her dreams of being first chair.
You could tell throughout the book how much she wanted first chair, going above and beyond, and even stealing in one of the chapters.
This book is a great example of how having a loving family affects you and what counseling can do for you.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
You could tell throughout the book how much she wanted first chair, going above and beyond, and even stealing in one of the chapters.
This book is a great example of how having a loving family affects you and what counseling can do for you.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
July 27, 2026
A must purchase. It deals with the issue of alcoholism in parents quite well, but also doesn't tie everything up in a neat bow. The people-pleasing, high achievers will connect with this story.
Read
August 19, 2026my haunting Adeline pallet cleanser.
November 8, 2025
Nice book! I felt like I was in the story amazing detail and art!
April 18, 2026
Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl, 2026-2027
From the title and the cover, I thought this was going to be a lighthearted graphic novel about fitting in in middle school as a band nerd. What it’s actually about is a girl coping with her alcoholic dad by trying to be the best flautist at all costs.
Middle grade books like these seem over-wrought and over dramatic. The writing isn’t particularly great.
I’m a comics snob. I appreciate good art in comics . . . but it just seems like there’s this endless supply of middle grade graphic novels with just terrible art.
From the title and the cover, I thought this was going to be a lighthearted graphic novel about fitting in in middle school as a band nerd. What it’s actually about is a girl coping with her alcoholic dad by trying to be the best flautist at all costs.
Middle grade books like these seem over-wrought and over dramatic. The writing isn’t particularly great.
I’m a comics snob. I appreciate good art in comics . . . but it just seems like there’s this endless supply of middle grade graphic novels with just terrible art.
May 17, 2026
I liked it but t was sad.
June 10, 2026
Eva and I read on the kindle :)
June 22, 2025
Graphic novels aren't usually my thing, middle grade isn't really ever my thing, but this was so good!
It's darker than I thought was allowed for middle grade, but was a great story and really flew by.
Can't wait to see if there's another one 😊
It's darker than I thought was allowed for middle grade, but was a great story and really flew by.
Can't wait to see if there's another one 😊
May 22, 2025
Lucy Carver is affectionately known as a band nerd and is not embarrassed to be called that. She loves playing the flute so much that she auditioned and was accepted into the elite Windley School located way across town. She is not as great in math as her younger, smarter and more athletic sister who is doing math at Lucy’s grade level. However, being on the school’s band track, Lucy’s dream is to become flute first chair during one of the Friday challenges since she loved being first chair all year in 6th grade. Her dream is melting away when her nemesis Tolli takes the coveted spot again and again. Lucy feels the pressure of trying to attain that first chair spot and bring up her mediocre grades which continue to drop. Everything came so easily at her previous school but it’s much more challenging at Windley. To add to her mounting pressures, her parents are constantly fighting because her father is an angry, unemployed alcoholic. Now Lucy is on the outs with her BFF Malia who is cheerleader and a year ahead due to a misunderstanding. Luckily, Lucy’s mom realizes that she could use the assistance of the school counselor where Lucy reveals her ongoing stresses at home and school.
It took me a while to write my review because this story just broke my heart. It is just too much for young Lucy to endure with the never-ending pressures at her new school, the constant tension and fights at home, and struggles with her friends at school. Because this story really touched my heart, it will stick with me for a while, which is a good thing. I love the illustrations, the colors and the fonts. They were all simply done but absolutely conveyed the emotions of the story. There are graphic novels that tend to be overbearing in detail and will detract from the story.
I recommend this book especially to any young reader who may be going through struggles in their life or who even has a great passion for music or another fine art. They will know that they are not alone.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy.
It took me a while to write my review because this story just broke my heart. It is just too much for young Lucy to endure with the never-ending pressures at her new school, the constant tension and fights at home, and struggles with her friends at school. Because this story really touched my heart, it will stick with me for a while, which is a good thing. I love the illustrations, the colors and the fonts. They were all simply done but absolutely conveyed the emotions of the story. There are graphic novels that tend to be overbearing in detail and will detract from the story.
I recommend this book especially to any young reader who may be going through struggles in their life or who even has a great passion for music or another fine art. They will know that they are not alone.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy.
July 8, 2025
For anyone who ever carried a flute case and a deep love for being in the band—even when it was more about competition than camaraderie—Band Nerd will hit close to home. It captures that feeling of tying your worth to your chair placement, like if that could just go right, maybe everything else would, too.
The story doesn’t shy away from heavy topics, and you really feel for Lucy and her siblings. It’s a thoughtful read that middle schoolers and YA readers will connect with—and maybe walk away with a little more empathy and understanding about why people act the way they do. The art is clean, simple, and lets the story shine.
The story doesn’t shy away from heavy topics, and you really feel for Lucy and her siblings. It’s a thoughtful read that middle schoolers and YA readers will connect with—and maybe walk away with a little more empathy and understanding about why people act the way they do. The art is clean, simple, and lets the story shine.
Read
January 26, 2025I wouldn't have guessed it from the cover, but this is a good readalike for Hey Kiddo (for a slightly younger audience). Dad is an alcoholic and this really explores how that affects Lucy's life.
January 12, 2025
E ARC provided by Netgalley
Lucy is starting a new school in Windley, North Carolina in this graphic novel. It's a school for the arts, and she's hoping to be the first chair flautist, just like she was at her previous school. Even though it's nerve wracking to leave a comfortable environment, it's better than being at home with younger siblings Elizabeth and Liam when their mother, a busy nurse, and their father, an out of work lawyer, are constantly fighting over money and household responsibilities. Luckily, Malia, an 8th grader, is super nice on the bus and helps her get her bearings at school. The other flute players, like Neela, are nice, but Tolli is odd. Her mother is a former opera singer who is very pushy, and expects Tolli to be first chair. The school expects Lucy to have her own flute, which is a hardship for the family, because $400 would go a long way towards food and rent. Even though money is tight, a lot of money is spent on beer for the father, who, as we learn, once had to go to the hospital because he was so intoxicated. Lucy is very embarrassed by his actions, and missed the father he used to be. When Tolli makes first chair, Lucy is devastated, but she takes comfort in hanging out with Malia and her grandmother, who likes to bake. When they take Lucy home one day, Lucy's father is passed out and can't be woken up. Malia's grandmother stays with the kids, and is very understanding, since Malia's mother died of a drug overdose, and is very supportive of Lucy's mom. Lucy does talk to the school counselor, since the academic demands of the school are higher than her old school. When her father is supposed to be watching the children, Lucy sustains an injury, and this is enough to propel her mother to move into the hotel with the children and start divorce proceedings. This is hard on Lucy, and who steals Tolli's music before a challenge. She's discovered and has to go to a meeting with her parents at school, but manages to get the help she needs to cope as her family goes forward.
Strengths: I played oboe in middle and high school and spent an inordinate amount of time practicing. The two other oboe players and I were always going back and forth, and being first chair is just a huge thing at that age, even in a regular school. I can't imagine the pressure in a performing arts school. It was very nice to see Lucy connect to Malia and her grandmother, and have some support. Lucy's home life is difficult, and the author's own experiences (mentioned in an afterword) add to the slice-of-life feel of this. It was interesting to see her joke with her friends about her father getting drunk; I can't imagine sharing this kind of information, but it is certainly one way to cope with a difficult situation. The father does go into rehab twice, and the family is going forward in a more positive direction by the end of the book.
Weaknesses: There is a wide array of graphic novels about problems, but very few about children in sports, so I do wish that we would see a little more variety in the graphic novels that are published. Also, there was something uncomfortable about the father being drawn in only boxer shorts without a shirt, although I am sure this reflects real life.
What I really think: There are very few books about band, (exceptions include Walter's The Club, Grosso's I Am Drums, Dionne's Notes From an Accidental Band Geek, and Herbach's Gabe Johnson Takes Over, aka Fat Boy vs. the Cheerleaders) and I know that music was a big part of my middle school career. There are even fewer books about parents who are alcoholics, other than Deuker's 2024 Shadowed, Hautmann's 2024 Answers to Dog, Petro-Roy's 2021 Life in the Balance, Vrabel's 2018 Bringing Me Back, and Sonnenblick's The Secret Sheriff of Sixth Grade.
Lucy is starting a new school in Windley, North Carolina in this graphic novel. It's a school for the arts, and she's hoping to be the first chair flautist, just like she was at her previous school. Even though it's nerve wracking to leave a comfortable environment, it's better than being at home with younger siblings Elizabeth and Liam when their mother, a busy nurse, and their father, an out of work lawyer, are constantly fighting over money and household responsibilities. Luckily, Malia, an 8th grader, is super nice on the bus and helps her get her bearings at school. The other flute players, like Neela, are nice, but Tolli is odd. Her mother is a former opera singer who is very pushy, and expects Tolli to be first chair. The school expects Lucy to have her own flute, which is a hardship for the family, because $400 would go a long way towards food and rent. Even though money is tight, a lot of money is spent on beer for the father, who, as we learn, once had to go to the hospital because he was so intoxicated. Lucy is very embarrassed by his actions, and missed the father he used to be. When Tolli makes first chair, Lucy is devastated, but she takes comfort in hanging out with Malia and her grandmother, who likes to bake. When they take Lucy home one day, Lucy's father is passed out and can't be woken up. Malia's grandmother stays with the kids, and is very understanding, since Malia's mother died of a drug overdose, and is very supportive of Lucy's mom. Lucy does talk to the school counselor, since the academic demands of the school are higher than her old school. When her father is supposed to be watching the children, Lucy sustains an injury, and this is enough to propel her mother to move into the hotel with the children and start divorce proceedings. This is hard on Lucy, and who steals Tolli's music before a challenge. She's discovered and has to go to a meeting with her parents at school, but manages to get the help she needs to cope as her family goes forward.
Strengths: I played oboe in middle and high school and spent an inordinate amount of time practicing. The two other oboe players and I were always going back and forth, and being first chair is just a huge thing at that age, even in a regular school. I can't imagine the pressure in a performing arts school. It was very nice to see Lucy connect to Malia and her grandmother, and have some support. Lucy's home life is difficult, and the author's own experiences (mentioned in an afterword) add to the slice-of-life feel of this. It was interesting to see her joke with her friends about her father getting drunk; I can't imagine sharing this kind of information, but it is certainly one way to cope with a difficult situation. The father does go into rehab twice, and the family is going forward in a more positive direction by the end of the book.
Weaknesses: There is a wide array of graphic novels about problems, but very few about children in sports, so I do wish that we would see a little more variety in the graphic novels that are published. Also, there was something uncomfortable about the father being drawn in only boxer shorts without a shirt, although I am sure this reflects real life.
What I really think: There are very few books about band, (exceptions include Walter's The Club, Grosso's I Am Drums, Dionne's Notes From an Accidental Band Geek, and Herbach's Gabe Johnson Takes Over, aka Fat Boy vs. the Cheerleaders) and I know that music was a big part of my middle school career. There are even fewer books about parents who are alcoholics, other than Deuker's 2024 Shadowed, Hautmann's 2024 Answers to Dog, Petro-Roy's 2021 Life in the Balance, Vrabel's 2018 Bringing Me Back, and Sonnenblick's The Secret Sheriff of Sixth Grade.
May 9, 2025
Reading this book triggered a lot of emotions for me, especially seeing the way Lucy’s father acted and the way Tolli treated Lucy throughout the entire school year. Definitely well-written for me to feel such deep emotions haha!
Seventh grade is a year of many challenges with Lucy facing almost an identity crisis where she obsessed so much with wanting, NEEDING I should say, to be first chair. When she was in her previous school at East, she had everything; first chair, good grades, and a lot more freedom to practice. Here at Windley, a competitive art school, she was almost deemed average compared to her peers. Tolli was her nemesis, who also happens to be close friends with Malia, a girl Lucy met during her first few days of school. However, Tolli was not a very nice person to be around; in fact, Tolli was pretty harsh and salty with Lucy because Tolli felt like Lucy would steal Malia away from her. It really angered me the way Tolli spoke with Lucy and how she tried to keep her out of things. But this happening is definitely something that happens at adolescence.
With trying to keep up with her classes, practicing her flute, and having a life with friends, things back at home were not so great either. Her father had a drinking addiction, to the point where it is childish when he gets drunk; Lucy became the adult figure who had to be the “bigger person”. Her mother was the one who held the family together while her father “tried” to get his act together. Truthfully, I think her mother also had an issue as she often tells Lucy to do chores whereas Lucy’s not-so-young siblings get a pass. I get that with balancing work, dealing with a 4th child (the father), putting food on the table because her own husband can’t even feed the kids since he’s so immersed in himself, and being a mother, it can be stressful to handle basically everything on your own; but it doesn’t excuse the fact that responsibilities should be divided evenly regardless of age. It is already stressful enough in the house; the best thing she could have done was to have her children work together with her.
This book is quite complicated to read as it depicts a very rare experience of seventh grade. Overall at the end, Lucy was able to find some sort of closure with her academics, hobbies, and her relationship with her father.
Seventh grade is a year of many challenges with Lucy facing almost an identity crisis where she obsessed so much with wanting, NEEDING I should say, to be first chair. When she was in her previous school at East, she had everything; first chair, good grades, and a lot more freedom to practice. Here at Windley, a competitive art school, she was almost deemed average compared to her peers. Tolli was her nemesis, who also happens to be close friends with Malia, a girl Lucy met during her first few days of school. However, Tolli was not a very nice person to be around; in fact, Tolli was pretty harsh and salty with Lucy because Tolli felt like Lucy would steal Malia away from her. It really angered me the way Tolli spoke with Lucy and how she tried to keep her out of things. But this happening is definitely something that happens at adolescence.
With trying to keep up with her classes, practicing her flute, and having a life with friends, things back at home were not so great either. Her father had a drinking addiction, to the point where it is childish when he gets drunk; Lucy became the adult figure who had to be the “bigger person”. Her mother was the one who held the family together while her father “tried” to get his act together. Truthfully, I think her mother also had an issue as she often tells Lucy to do chores whereas Lucy’s not-so-young siblings get a pass. I get that with balancing work, dealing with a 4th child (the father), putting food on the table because her own husband can’t even feed the kids since he’s so immersed in himself, and being a mother, it can be stressful to handle basically everything on your own; but it doesn’t excuse the fact that responsibilities should be divided evenly regardless of age. It is already stressful enough in the house; the best thing she could have done was to have her children work together with her.
This book is quite complicated to read as it depicts a very rare experience of seventh grade. Overall at the end, Lucy was able to find some sort of closure with her academics, hobbies, and her relationship with her father.
July 14, 2025
Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for the eGalley to review!
What started as a graphic memoir came an excellent look into the lives of children who have a parent (or parents) battling addiction and how families--especially the children--can come out of it with the proper support needed. Band Nerd is a window, a sliding door, and probably a mirror to those who pick it up to read it.
Our main character, Lucy, is a young girl whose father is an alcoholic and verbally abusive (mostly to her mother). Lucy, her brother, and her sister are always walking on egg shells and in a volatile environment of constant yelling and blaming and neglect, though when their father is sober and their mother isn't preoccupied being the sole breadwinner and leader of the family, they genuinely aren't short in love. Both parents are supportive of the three, especially Lucy, but when Lucy starts a prestigious school of the arts to be a band major, they're constantly telling her she should go back to her previous school where it'd be easier for her (and cheaper for them). This along with trying to find and keep friends at school (with a litany of its own drama and bullying) pushes Lucy to her breaking point and this is where the story becomes a message to young readers that your voice and your feelings matter.
Willis wrote this with the hopes of telling her own children what happened to her when she was a child and how best to come out of it healthily. Things aren't perfect by the end, but they're significantly better and they're reflective of a realistic life. I was moved by how raw some of the scenes were in this and I have absolutely no doubt that there will be kids who find solace in Lucy and use her story to move toward a better life for themselves. It's sadly a very necessary story to tell and it's one that I'll be recommending for sure. Plus, the art is great!
What started as a graphic memoir came an excellent look into the lives of children who have a parent (or parents) battling addiction and how families--especially the children--can come out of it with the proper support needed. Band Nerd is a window, a sliding door, and probably a mirror to those who pick it up to read it.
Our main character, Lucy, is a young girl whose father is an alcoholic and verbally abusive (mostly to her mother). Lucy, her brother, and her sister are always walking on egg shells and in a volatile environment of constant yelling and blaming and neglect, though when their father is sober and their mother isn't preoccupied being the sole breadwinner and leader of the family, they genuinely aren't short in love. Both parents are supportive of the three, especially Lucy, but when Lucy starts a prestigious school of the arts to be a band major, they're constantly telling her she should go back to her previous school where it'd be easier for her (and cheaper for them). This along with trying to find and keep friends at school (with a litany of its own drama and bullying) pushes Lucy to her breaking point and this is where the story becomes a message to young readers that your voice and your feelings matter.
Willis wrote this with the hopes of telling her own children what happened to her when she was a child and how best to come out of it healthily. Things aren't perfect by the end, but they're significantly better and they're reflective of a realistic life. I was moved by how raw some of the scenes were in this and I have absolutely no doubt that there will be kids who find solace in Lucy and use her story to move toward a better life for themselves. It's sadly a very necessary story to tell and it's one that I'll be recommending for sure. Plus, the art is great!
August 19, 2026
Band Nerd is a graphic novel inspired by author Sarah Willis’s experiences. It explores the challenges of being the firstborn in a family where her father is battling alcoholism, and it feels like her family is slowly falling apart before her eyes. Amid all the chaos at home, seventh-grader Lucy Carver clings to her goal of becoming first chair at her new performing arts school.
I know this story explores themes that are so real for many middle schoolers. It’s unfortunate, but I know so many students will feel seen and understood while reading this story. Given the hot takes above, I will not be adding this to my classroom shelves. However, I do think it is worth the read with parent involvement.
This story touches on so many aspects of life: addiction, stress, performance anxiety, perfectionism, friendship, divorce, and death. I think it would be best for parents to be aware of these themes so they can have open conversations with their middle schooler—whether they are navigating these things themselves or learning how to support a friend who may be experiencing them.
I also appreciated that the book emphasizes the importance of professional counseling and therapy. It does a good job communicating that sometimes things are bigger than you can handle on your own and that it’s important to talk about things when life gets heavy.
HOT TAKE:
⭐️⭐️⭐️
🤬: damn it, crap
🌶️: none; Dad walks to the fridge in his underwear during a sleepover & is shown shirtless most of the time
⚔️: Mom & Dad argue, scream & shout; a fire starts, resulting in an injury
🍺: Mom carries two cases of beer into the house; Dad seems to drink too much; kids talk about their parents drinking too much wine/beer; Dad goes to rehab twice; beer is shown in the fridge/trash can
🎯: Recommended for ages 13 & up
I know this story explores themes that are so real for many middle schoolers. It’s unfortunate, but I know so many students will feel seen and understood while reading this story. Given the hot takes above, I will not be adding this to my classroom shelves. However, I do think it is worth the read with parent involvement.
This story touches on so many aspects of life: addiction, stress, performance anxiety, perfectionism, friendship, divorce, and death. I think it would be best for parents to be aware of these themes so they can have open conversations with their middle schooler—whether they are navigating these things themselves or learning how to support a friend who may be experiencing them.
I also appreciated that the book emphasizes the importance of professional counseling and therapy. It does a good job communicating that sometimes things are bigger than you can handle on your own and that it’s important to talk about things when life gets heavy.
HOT TAKE:
⭐️⭐️⭐️
🤬: damn it, crap
🌶️: none; Dad walks to the fridge in his underwear during a sleepover & is shown shirtless most of the time
⚔️: Mom & Dad argue, scream & shout; a fire starts, resulting in an injury
🍺: Mom carries two cases of beer into the house; Dad seems to drink too much; kids talk about their parents drinking too much wine/beer; Dad goes to rehab twice; beer is shown in the fridge/trash can
🎯: Recommended for ages 13 & up
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